When Worlds Collide
by Zexion666
Summary: Emma just took advantage of a school trip to go hang with a good friend. Surviving and apocalypse was NOT on the activities list, but a girl does what she can...with a crossbow...and maybe a little help from 'the good guys'.
1. Shadowland

After a very, VERY long hiatus from ANYTHING new. I've decided to start writing fanfiction again, BUT I've always been more of a parallel/parody type writer, and OC-centric (hate that term!). Anywho, this is told from the perspective of a new OC, named Emma. Most of this is in her head at first, so let's give this here fanfic a try.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ronin Warriors. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction about it. –shrugs- just sayin'.

Chapter 1

Shadowland

I've been in Japan for 2 weeks now. When I first told my parents I had saved up money from my PT job, they were skeptical. Who wouldn't be? I'm 15 years old, and asking to go on a semi-official-school-trip with about 30 other students ranging from 15-18, and only 6 chaperones isn't something my parents are prepared for. Yeah. Nothing can go wrong.

Rowen Hashiba. I met him when he came to America last

summer on an exchange. It wasn't a school trip - just sign-up-and-go, up to age 18. Rowen graduated high school at age 12, and frankly, that's wicked, but also he had said he was bored last summer, so his mom suggested he take a trip - footed the bill and everything. What a mom! My mom thinks I'm going to come back marred, or pregnant, or both.

Yeah, no.

"Oi." Rowen kind of punches my arm. "I'm readin' these plaques for YOU, y'know." He's not unhappy -Rowen likes the whole tourist-y thing I play at. I nod. "Yes, I'm listening." I'm also the only one of my class who bothered to expand her knowledge of the Japanese dialect. OSAKA-BEN is to Japan, what a deep-southern drawl is

to America. "Nah, you're spacin' out again. Y'know, it' s not every day you getta see this castle up close. My dad knows the curator is all, and thought it would be somethin' you'd like to do."

"So did you, obviously." I say, hands clasped behind my back.

Rowen frowns.

"Yes, I know. I AM listening. Shogun era." I bow a little. "I really appreciate you taking the time to show me around, too."

Rowen sighs. "Come on, let's go to the balcony. Then we'll head out to get lunch."

"Don't be mad, I was spacing out thinking about you, and wondering why no one else wanted to come today, or how I keep ending up babbling like an idiot, wishing I would just shove my foot in my mouth, and shut up." I grin, and shake my head a bit silly.

"Spacin'." Rowen snorts, as we continue up to the balcony.

I actually feel bad about this, because I DIDN'T tell anyone else about today, and it's selfish really - I just wanted to spend time with Rowen alone.

"You just wanted to spend time with me alone." Rowen shrugs like it's no big deal. "There a better view for pictures from the balcony. Besides, I know Yuriko-san will be around soon to close up for her lunch break."

"Are you psychic, and just pretending to be really smart?" I ask.

"190 IQ is average." I can tell by Rowen's expression thateven HE knows he's stretching the truth just a bit.

"On what PLANET?" I call after him.

He's right about one thing, the balcony is gorgeous for picture-taking, and a great opportunity for a photo of the two of us. I like my polaroid camera best for pictures. None of that 35mm crap.

"I guess the wind wants a picture of you, too, Rowen. It almost took this one away with it." I chuckle s we walk away from the castle.

"No way." Rowen blushes, and frowns.

"So what's for lunch? I vote Takoyaki!" I raise my hand and stop to grin at him.

Rowen's stopped walking, staring up at the sky. He looks so serious, and there aren't even any stars out - he's an astronomy nut. "Maybe we could call your dad? I bet Mr. Genichirou hasn't eaten yet today." I try to engage my blue-haired host. "Earth-to-

Rowen." I wave a hand out in front of his face. "Roooowaaan, you in there? I KNOW you're in there-all 190 points of you."

"Go back to the house." Rowen says.

"Don't give me orders; why should I go? You're supposed to be showing me around." I fold my arms.

Thunder rumbles far-off somewhere.

"Ooh, rain. Let's get take-out, and watch Godzilla movies from the 50s."

Rowen grabs my shoulders. "Don't argue with me, PLEASE, just go!" He runs off like his ass is on fire, or something.

"Big jerk." I mumble then shout. "Hey, you big jerk! What the hell am I supposed to do now, huh? I don't have a JR card!"

When Rowen says 'house', I'm sure he means the youth hostel rest of my fellow students from America are staying in, located outside Tokyo. From here, I can take the bullet train, but then I'll have to transfer to a local train to get to the town the hostel is located in.

First, though, I find a payphone, and call my instructor to let her know I'm starting my long trio back, albeit earlier than expected.

"Did you have enough time to see your friend? You can stay until tomorrow, Emma-chan." Miss Takashi sounds concerned.

"Yeah, I'll tell you all about it when I get back." I say, although it wasn't REALLY fine, but I don't want to worry Miss Takashi by telling her Rowen ran off like he did.

"Did you get Osaka food?" She sounds so excited about this.

"No, but I'll pick up some food from the train station." I get this sudden, weird, feeling down my back, like I'm being watched or something. It's a good indicator that I should get moving.

"Wish you were here. We are going to karaoke soon. I will sing a tribute for you." Miss Takashi's voice grins.

"Hey thanks. I should go catch the train now. Have fun at karaoke." I hang up and step out of the booth as someone walks up to use the phone.

As I walk, the air feels so...DOOM. I don't know how else to describe it. It's that achy feeling when you just KNOW something bad is going to happen, but you also know there's nothing you can do to stop it.

I make it to the train in time, and board. The whole ride, all I can think is that something is wrong.

A woman seated near me wakes me when we arrive at the Shnjuku bullet train station. When I step off the train, it's like an electric shock shoots up my leg.

DOOM. RUN. DON'T STAY HERE.

I wish I could tell just what's giving me these creepy feelings. As if the universe is answering me, it suddenly gets dark, and cold. I like up to see a thick layer of clouds

suddenly rolled in overhead. The sky is black, and the air seems to seep through my jacket, under my skin, and into my bones. People around me start to notice it, too, and chatter

begins.

"Is it a rain storm?"

"I'll keep you dry."

"Great, now I have to take taxi home."

"Hey, the street lights didn't come on."

"This payphone just stopped working!"

"The arrivals board just went dark!"

"Aww man, my walkman's busted!"

I keep walking, seeing no lights from the ad boards, the lights above go out, and everyone gasps. Outside, the streetlights ominously pop out, like all the light bulbs burned

out at once.

"Sorry, but the taxi won't start. The bus is having trouble, too."

I look around to see traffic is stopped, and the traffic lights are out, too. It's like the entire city just suddenly stopped, and shut down. I start walking, to get to a local train line. I pass an intersection where traffic officer is trying to direct traffic.

"Hey, move your car!" The officer shouts to one driver.

"Love to; you gonna get out and push?" the driver says back.

Every car is honking, people are shouting at each other, and generally not getting anything at all done about the unusual new circumstances.

A woman in a pink sweater and jean shorts runs up and jumps on the seat of a bicycle. "Sorry, I need to borrow this!"

Ballsy. I watch her ride away as the officer blows his whistle; yeah, like she's REALLY gonna listen when things are gradually starting to go from freak-blackout, to major

apocalypse.

Wow. Apocalypse, and I'm totally calm. Maybe it just hasn't sunk in yet. I take deep breath. I hope Rowen's okay.

Above, the lights from the buildings go out, and the severity of the situation really starts to sink in, but I tell myself panicking gets you nowhere, and does nothing. Just as

soon as all the lights have gone out, and like it isn't dark enough, a dense, black fog rolls in; right up the main street.

Something tells me, even if I found the train station to get out of here, I wouldn't be going anywhere any time soon. People are really flipping out now as overhead, a helicopter with an emergency symbol in the side, comes to a whistling crash just above our heads. The flames of the explosion spill down the side of the building, and I make for the opposite side of the street. Panic really wants to rise, but I tamp it down, hoping wherever my fellow exchange students are, they're nowhere near this nonsense.

"This is really happening." I say to no one in particular. "What the hell is going on?" I look around as other people are starting to panic.

Above, thunder rumbles, just slightly at first, and then with an ear-shattering crash, lightning shoots down from the black sky, and strikes the buildings around the street. Twice, the three, and four times. Glass shatters from building windows, and rains down on the people. I hurry to the side of a building, pushing myself up against the wall to avoid the herd of people that erupts down every inch of street available, screaming and covering their heads; like that's really going to help.

Above the din, I hear a child's cries for his parents, and the parents cries back.

"Papa! Mama!"

"Son!"

"No!"

I look around from where I'm pressed against the wall, but I can't see him. Damn all these freaking people. I can see the street from here, mostly free if people. Everyone is trying to run under the awnings, to keep out of the falling glass. All I can do is stay here.

The window of a building up ahead explodes out, driving people into the streets, into the fog. The crowd dumps into the fog, screaming, and then...nothing.

Silence. The fog thins and lifts o a normal, gray-ish fog.

"What the fuck?" I stand up from the wall, and slowly step out onto the street. It's like walking on frozen ground in bare feet. The cold seeps right through my shoes, and into the bones of my feet.

"Sheesh." I look around. Eerie, still, silence is all that's left. The people are gone, the lights are still out, but a heaviness is till in the air, like, at any moment something is going to jump out and rip me to shreds. I have GOT to stop watching zombie movies with Rowen before bed.

An unnerving crack behind me sends chills up my back. I reeeeally shouldn't look. As I turn to look, the building is already leaning way out, like it's bowing to me, but I doubt this building is so much paying it respects than trying to fall on me.

"Are you serious?!" I start to run, but I can feel the air pushing down on me as the building is falling.

"Alley-oop!" Someone lands next to me from - somewhere - and jumps back into the air, with me, and we land on a building out of reach of the fallen structure.

"Wooooah! Woah! No, nono, no, no."

"It's all right, you're okay." He says.

"What the fuh...I was..." I point at the ground. "And now we're..." I gesture around. "And you're..you're a..." I get my wits about me. "Who are you?"

"Cye Mouri." He chuckles with a delightful English accent. "And, you're safe, is what you are. I think. Sorry, I can't stay and chat." He looks around. "Um, all right then, love?"

I shrug high. "I'm on top of a building." I lift my hands a bit to emphasize the shrug. "You tell me."

Cye nods, but is frowning. "Right." He looks around. "Um, here then." He goes over to the entrance to the roof stairs. "Here's the stairs. You should be able to get to ground level. How's that?" he smiles.

I walk up next to him, "Sure." I nod. "Thanks, uh, Cye?"

"And you are?" He asks.

"Emma." I say.

"Good luck, don't panic, Emma. And remember, I'm one of the good guys." Cye just jumps off the building like it's no big deal.

I stare for a moment then hurry into the stairwell. "Good guys." I say as I run down the stairs then abruptly stop. Does that mean there are bad guys?" Shaking my head, I decide there MUST be, but I can't worry about that right now. Hurtling out

of the stairwell, and into the building proper, I find I'm in some kind of outdoor store, on the top level, with a shit-ton of hunting equipment. This could be handy. As everything electronic seems to have run out of juice abruptly, some manually operated things will be alright. I'm thinking specifically of that badass crossbow hanging on the wall over there. And here mom thought taking those classes on crossbow operation and safety were a waste of time. I figure, if there's bad guys, I'll need to prepare for them. I'm handy with a crossbow, but I'll need something more to wear than just this dumb button-down shirt and khaki short-shorts.

So, I head down one floor. Camping gear; tents, and lanterns, and I can see a sign for freeze-dried food.

Next floor down, as I'm hopping the unmoving escalator, is clothes - score!- Pants are my first stop. Pants to keep out the seeping cold. Cargo pants; a girl can never have too many pockets. Then I find a turtleneck, and a hoodie, and pull them on. Warmer already. Next is outerwear; long rain coats and slickers and fluffy snow coats - ah ha! Boots. Yeah baby! I kick off the converse knock-offs, and find a pair of knee-high brown boots that are wool-lined and waterproof. I rummage for my size, and find some then get a long, gray rain coat, and head down one more floor.

All-you-can-grab-supplies. Not really, I men, I feel bad about technically stealing, but a girl's gotta survive the apocalypse in one piece, y'know? I grab the first backpack I see, and head for the fridge in the back. 3-1 litre bottles of water, some energy bars, a couple bags of trail mix (nuts, dried fruit, seeds), a first aid kit, a flashlight and extra batteries, an 'emergency' kit (2 flares, flare gun, whistle, blinking orange light), and last but not least, a co pass, because the girl survivor doesn't want to get lost. Before I head out, I run back upstairs to get the crossbow. It's lighter than the one I used, and I even find a couple boxes of bolts (100 count each). Last, I grab a lantern, and gently pack in a metal bottle of propane.

This girl is ready to rock, and she feels like a badass.

Then the ground begins to shake, and loose stuff falls off the shelves. Time to go! I leap down the escalators, and run for the exit just in time to see a huge, blade of light rip the sky and slice down into the city somewhere. Checking the compass, I

determine East...is where not to go. If good n evil are duking it out, I don't wanna get in their way.

'I'm one of the good guys' I remember Cye saying. Damn. I would feel alot better with a good guy on my side, and maybe I can help now. I look at the crossbow clutching in my right hand, and decide.

"Yup." I nod, and head East. Just as I'm reaching a side street, lightning rains down, going completely crazy all around me. "Oh, come on!" And then it's just gone, with only a rumbling of thunder left behind to indicate the lightning was ever there. "Okay." I gulp. "Definitely gonna go find the good guy...if he wasn't struck by lightning."


	2. Glory For Anubis

Please let me know if there are any words that spellcheck missed. Y'know, real words just in the wrong context, so TECHNICALLY misspelled?

* * *

><p>DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING THIS.<p>

Chapter 2

Glory for Anubis

I'm reeeally hoping that whatever bad guys are around, aren't going to mind a red-head 15-year-old American with a crossbow. Maybe these are really arrogant bad guys, who will just be, like, 'oh, she's nothing. ah hahahaha!', or something like that. Then I round the corner, and come face-to-face with a big, ugly, bucket-headed soldier-thing. It makes this zombie-esque groan at me, and lifts a huge, bladed staff.

CROSSBOW! My brain shouts. CROSSBOW! I lift the crossbow, and fire right in the middle of its black, featureless face.

Bucket-head stops, groans again, falters, and falls flat on its face.

"OH YEH! Score one for me!" I cheer.

Bucket-head's armor smokes, like that weird fog, and I move away until it dissipates, leaving the armor, and my bolt, behind.

"Huh." I pick up the bolt. "Free-throw." I shrug, and set the bolt up again. There's a fountain in this square, and I head over to inspect it. There's still water in it, and I mind my reflection. Green-eyed, red-haired, pale skin, and freckles.

I sat down and braided my hair just because I was bored a few blocks back. There's this remnant terror in my eyes that I try to ignore. Yes, I was almost sliced in half. Do I think it's going to happen again maybe? Of course. Is it something to get all fussy over? Probably, but panicking gets a girl nowhere.

Only when I'm safe, can I stop, reflect and get all pissy about the apocalypse. Seeing as how 8 don't know if that is EVER going to happen, I'm just taking it one step at a time.

A crack in the bottom of the fountain catches my eye. It's kinda big, and a wonder why the water hasn't all drained out...unless. I slowly turn to see the building directly behind me, where I shot buckethead, has a crevice sliced into it, all black and burned like...like...I think back; like a huge blade of light slicing through the air, like I saw while running from the outdoor store.

"Woah." I let the crossbow gently to the ground, and take my polaroid camera out of my field bag. Who doesn't want a picture of a building looking like THIS? Probably EVERYONE ELSE in the world. I think it's pretty cool, though.

I hope Cye is okay. He seems nice, and has that nifty accent, too. He was wearing that wiggy armor, too, like a bodysuit or something. Like a white bodysuit, with a light blue

vest-ish thing, and a light blue speedo-ish thing, light blue glove-ish things, and light blue boot-ish things. I wonder how old he is, or if he's even human? Any other living person in this dark city is better than being alone; whoever he is. I'm trying my damnedest not to think about that building that's pretty much carved in half, but maybe if I assume it was carved by the good guys...wouldn't that be something? Yeah...

Walking isn't ALL boring in a dark. With my trusty lantern, I'm doing pretty well. Duh, me, picking up a flashlight and batteries, after all the ELECTRONICS in the city went out. Well, maybe the blackout will somehow, magically, be over, and my flashlight will work again.

Coming out of another side street, I have a long, wide, clear view of what looks like a main road, but it's not the road I'm looking at, it's the BIG, FRICKIN', CASTLE! IN THE SKY! "What the fuh...?" I stare, eyes narrowed, mouth ajar. A figure catches the gaze of the corner of my right eye, and I glance at it briefly, registering only minor details. Big, purple, huge poles coming off its...wait a sec. I double-take and really take it in. Purple armor, with green bits here and there, big green horns with what look like thorns studding them, three-pronged toes on its very LARGE, armored feet, and long rods coming off its back, kinda like spider kegs, but with curved sickle-like blades capping each

end individually.

"Yeeeaah...I don't think so." I turn slowly, and walk away from the armored form. The farther away I get, the faster I walk, and quickly whip around a corner and runlikeabitch!

Just when I think I put distance between me and the thing, I'm dubbing him 'scary-dude', I hear an unnerving crash behind me. It stops me dead in my tracks. I shake my head. "Don't look." I shake my head again as I slowly turn around. "Don't look."

A slow ebb of fear...nothing is there. I nod and turn back to walk.

SCARY DUDE! CROSSBOW! CROSSBOW!

I lift the crossbow, and fire. Bullseye in his...er...eye.

"What a very amusing toy." He grunts.

"Ohhh...shit..." I back away. "Please...don't..." I take a deep breath, swallow, and run...AT HIM. I guess he didn't see that coming, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I curse the fact that I now have 199 bolts left. Damn dammit.

Of course, I'm on the verge of panic now, and am not paying attention to where I'm going, or where scary-dude is, so I keep running.

Something flies overhead.

I look up, and stop running. "Was that a missile?"

Then a flippin' fighter jet roars across the sky. All hell breaks loose, missiles flying everywhere, tanks rumble up the main roads, I run into an alleyway, and duck and cover.

This is it! I'm going to die. It is SO war out there, and I'm going to die. The ground shakes, the sky quakes, and my ears are ringing. Then as my ears stop ringing, and the ground is no longer shaking, I realize...I LIIIIVE!

I jump up and run out into the street. "I'M ALIVE! ALIVE, I TELL YOU! I-oh..." Tanks, planes, mortar shells, and building debris are all stacked on top of each other in the main street, blocking the way back to the outdoor store. Not like I was actually thinking of going back, but if I had been...I can't now.

Like, ever.

Then I see something neatly laying in a toppled bit of concrete. A bolt. Whattya know, it matches all my bolts, but how did it...? All the blood drains from my face, and I

realize...THE SCARY DUDE. HE was the ONLY one out here, besides me, but I was hiding in the alley, and I totally couldn't do THIS. Holy shit. I pick up the bolt. Is this...is he telling me HE did this? Something makes me turn to look at the castle.

No. It wasn't the scary dude, it was the castle. THE castle. The ONLY castle, in the sky, floating. IT DID THIS. It can destroy things, it took all the people, IT is the reason I'm alone out here in the first place.

"It took out an army." I say out loud.

This feels like a good time to run and scream. It's very counter-productive, I know this, but sometimes it's just TIME to panic. I imagine running by a store window, and wonder if I sound like a speedily-passing police car, where you only get a bit of a siren, and wonder, what the hell was that? I probably get about 4 or 5 blocks before I run out breath,

like a balloon you just let soar through the air, and whines down to nothing. NOW I'm standing in a slightly more dilapidated part of the city, and there's what looks like a

subway entrance here. I start to head toward it, but there's a tiger here.

I stop, and stare at the tiger. The tiger stares back, and I swear it's actually surprised to see me. It's that moment in a movie when the camera is flipping back and forth between me and

the tiger, closing in on our faces until all the audience is seeing is our irises and pupils.

I turn right around, and run away screaming, and the tiger roars, and runs down into the subway.

Despite running and screaming, I'm very aware of something coming up in front of me. Not close, but it gives me pause. I watch the horizon.

BIG. LOUD. COMING THIS WAY.

It comes over the horizon, and stops. It's not Scary-Dude. This is a new player for the BAD team. It just kind stares from far away. I stare back. It lifts a hand.

"AAAAAA!" And I'm running again. This is therapeutic, but

getting old. I get my composure back, and find a fire escape to a building, near where I saw the tiger, and then the new guy; I shall call him 'the NEW buckethead'. A rooftop; right where I started. I set down my backpack and crawl with my crossbow up to the edge to peer over to see a battle happening below.

Hey, that's Cye! I see a guy fighting in the light blue and white armor Cye was wearing. But before I can think about calling out to him, there's a shout, and chains are shooting out all over the place.

"QUAKE WITH FEAR!""

Then Cye, and about 4 others are all tangled up in the chains, suspended in mid-air, struggling and choking.

"Cye!" I gasp. Then see just above him. "Rowen?"

Rowen looks. His eyes get wide. I give him a surprised, deft, wave. He shakes his head as best he can, y'know, while he's choking.

Down below, a guy in armor, like Cye and Rowen, except red, shouts as someone I can't see. "Yuli! I-I don't think I can!"

Something jingles, but before I can see what, this STAFF comes flying through the air, and what looks like a monk, walks away into the dark on an upper rooftop.

While I'm looking to where the monk was, I hear chains

breaking, and a shout.

"RONIN WARRIORS! TO ARMS!"

Hope rises in me, and I look over the edge of the building.

"Good guys? Yes!" I jump up and down. "WOOHOO! I found good guy central!" In a flash of light, the five guys are all suddenly wearing super-cool armor, and have really badass weapons.

"Ah, good, I was hoping for a challenge." New-Bucket-Head says in this really drawn out, bored sort of voice.

"Demon!" The guy in red armor shouts. He holds two kickass katana at the ready, and just strikes me as kinda leader-ish. "I will NEVER allow you, OR your master to win!"

"We'll see about that." New-Bucket-Head says. He swings his weapon, a claw on a chain, and the battle commences.

"What the hell are ya doin' here, Emma?" Rowen's voice asks

behind me.

I whip around, and have never been so happy to see the big mook. "Rowen! Eek! It IS you!" I run over. "Omigosh, your armor is so cool. Is that a bow? I totally forgive you for leaving me at the castle!" I drop the crossbow and hug him.

"Emma, it's dangerous, you have to get out of here!" Rowen kind of hugs me back with one arm, but not really.

"And go where, do you think?" Cye is behind me, with two others.

"Cye!" I squeal-it's a fair trade from running and screaming; squealing and hugging.

"Hey there, love. Wow, you look the part of the apocalypse survivor. Can you actually USE that thing?" Cye asks as I pick up the crossbow.

"Sure can! Took eight use and safety classes, and I already got me one buckethead." I grin.

"This isn't a game, you could die out here." Says the guy in green armor. He has really pretty eyes, but I move past it quickly enough.

"You don't tell ME that, I've already been shot at, chased down, almost sliced, stalked, got stuck in the crossfire between the frickin' military, and THE CASTLE, and even scared the daylights outta some random white tiger, but I'm still alive! All the other people disappeared, but I'm alive." I feel kinda triumphant.

"That's brilliant, love, but get down to street level. Cye hands me my bags. "There's a girl down there, and a little boy. Mia and Yuli. Stay with them, and White Blaze." He hurries after the other three as they're running away.

"Wait, what's a White Blaze?" I call after them.

"The tiger ya scared!" Rowen shouts back.

"Oh." I nod, and head down the fire escape.

"Down here! Down here!" Two voices are calling out to me.

Sure enough, down in the subway station are a girl, maybe just a bit older than me, and little boy. I jump down through the gaping hole in the ground.

"Hi!" I wave after I get myself to my feet.

"What on Earth-? Have you been out there all by yourself?" The woman gasps.

"You bet." I grin.

The little boy beams. "Are you a ronin warrior, too?"

"Me? No, I'm just a girl with a crossbow and a bunch of supplies. I'm Emma."

"I'm Yuli." He grins.

"My name is Mia Koji." The woman says. "Do you know them? They seemed to go to you."

"Who, Rowen? I've known him a while; Cye I just met this morning, but he's cool." I shrug.

"Yeah, they're cool! They're the Ronin Warriors!" Yuli exclaims.

"Ohhh." I turn and look up through. "Now THAT'S a kickass name for the good guys."

"The stairs are clear! Come on!" Mia runs up the stairs.

"Stairs? But I jumped...oh never mind." I follow them, still glad I found people. When I get up to surface level, it's howling wind, like a tornado. In fact, I see the very storm spinning down the street like some bad wizard-of-oz-remake.

"Is that a tornado?!" I shout.

"This wind?" Mia gasps.

"Up there!" Yuli points.

The brightly-colored armors go flying into the tornado. Just as quickly as the tornado swallowed them up, it spit them out in entirely opposite directions from each other.

"They're gone." Yuli gaps. "Ronin Warriors, Come back!" He

shouts. "PLEASE!"

I slump. "You're shitting me."


	3. Secret Of Wildfire

Chapter 3

Secret of Wildfire

It's time to sit and cry. While Mia and Yuli grab some shuteye with a blanket Mia pilfered from a grocery store, I sit and sob my eyes out. The tiger rubs my head, and lies down next to me. After all that, am I just supposed to accept that they're gone? Cye...Rowen.

"You stupid jerk!" I shout to the darkness. "What the hell am I supposed to do now, huh?"

White Blaze roars out to the darkness, too.

"You tell 'em!" I cheer him on. "Dammit, Rowen!"

A girl can only cry so long until she starts to get sleepy, and her throat hurts. White Blaze stayed with me, and is still there when I wake up. Everything looks EXACTLY the same.

"I wonder what time it is." I sigh.

White Blaze stands up, stretches his legs a bit then turns and huffs at me.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm up, I'm up." I stand up, stretch, and give the dilapidation a good look around. "Whattya think, tiger? A little paint, a couple of throw pillows?"

The tiger gives me this 'srsly?' look.

"What?" I shrug. "I'm allowed to lighten the mood. Oh, fine, let's go find what's-her-name and the kid." I shrug.

The tiger runs away, totally leaving me in its dust.

"Fine! Stupid cat..."

"Abandoned." Says the creepy voice of Scary-Dude. I make to grab my crossbow.

"Not likely!" Something wraps around my ankle, I'm inches from my crossbow, but can't...just...reach..."AAAAA!" I'm pulled backward, and into the air; swinging like a piñata. Oh, please, oh please don't let him have a big, whoopin' stick.

"You tried to shoot me, mortal! How dare you!" Whatever's around my ankle flicks, and something pops.

"Aaaah-OW!"

"And when I am finished with you, you will hang here and die!" Another twist of my binding, but I still have a free leg to kick.

KICK! I urge my body. I kick, and get him in the face. I can't help the relieved little giggle.

"Puny MORTAL!" He shouts, and swings his funky bladed gear at me.

"Julienne Emma fries, coming up!" I squeak.

The tiger jumps up and body slams the guy away.

I will never diss the concept of 'Deus Ex Machina' EVER again.

"Emma!" I hear Mia's voice.

"Until next time...Emma." Oh great, now he knows my name.

"Emma!" Mia shouts up to me. "Emma, are you all right?"

"Fucker broke my ankle." I say as I see the tiger come to a stop below me, Mia astride it, and Yuli holding onto the tiger's tail. "Hm. Cute."

"Hang on, I'll get you down!" Mia swings out this katana.

"AA! No wait!" But the ties are cut, and I fall to the ground. "Oh, ow." Sitting up is okay, but I'm screwed if my ankle is broken.

"Can you stand?" Mia asks.

I try to give her my best angry eyes, but it's not working, so I say, "No. Big, scary, DUDE, broke my effing ankle. a'kay?"

I know I'm being totally harsh, but you know what? I've earned a little harsh.

It rolls right off her. "Hmm." She looks over at my bag. "Do you, by chance, have a first aid kit?"

I gesture at the backpack. "Doi."

Mia smiles. "Now don't go anywhere."

Oh. THAT'S why she's letting me be all sarcastic and pissy; I'm gonna pay for it later, and I get the feeling it's not gonna be that subtle.

"Thank you, for cutting me down." I say.

"That's better. You know, I'm NOT the bad guy here. I understand you've been on your own, but it hasn't been THAT long since you've had to talk to actual people."

"True." I nod. "Guess there's just alot to deal with, and on top of everything else, my best-effing-friend was just thrown to who-knows-where, by a giant, evil, tornado. I'm kind of at a loss here, which is really saying something, because I've been at a loss for the past 24 hours or so."

"That makes 3 of us. Don't forget, Yuli and I have been dodging the dynasty goons, too." She's totally wrapping my ankle like a pro while we're chatting. "There. It doesn't feel broken, but you shouldn't walk on it."

"Because, I'm sure the tiger can carry two women, AND drag a kid behind it like a flower cart. Sure." I shake my head, and am about to continue, but the sound of HOOVES - freaking HOOVES - pounding the pavement, draws our attention. "You hear hooves, right?"

"I'm going to find my car. You can handle that crossbow, right?" Mia asks without looking at me, but sounds totally freaked now.

"You think your car will work?" I ask.

"I have no idea, but it's worth a try." Mia says.

"If I die here, I'm haunting you forever." I say.

"Fair enough." Mia packs up my first aid kit, stuffs it back in my backpack, and sets my two bags next to me with the crossbow.

"Hurry back." I say morosely as Mia climbs on White Blaze's back, and the tiger takes off running.

The cart that rumbles by, completely ignores me, and goes after Mia and Yuli, but I'm totally sure that New-Buckethead was riding it.

Close behind are two soldiers in horseback. One spots me, and veers in my direction.

CROSSBOW IS HAPPENING, LIKE, RIGHT NOW!

I fire the bolt, and it's dead center in his ugly face.

"Oh, I SO own this crossbow thing!" I whoop.

The rider falls, and smokes like the first one; its shell crumpling to the ground.

The horse comes to a stop, and almost looks like its thinking, 'well NOW what?, but horses don't REALLY think stuff like that...do they?

I reach into my bag, and pull out an energy bar. Unwrapping it, I hold it up. "Hey demon horse!"

The horse actually looks.

"I've got an energy bar for you!" I sing at it.

Its ears perk up.

"If you bring me the bolt, I'll trade ya!" I'm mostly entertaining myself until Mia comes back.

The horse turns in my direction then turns its head to look at the fallen armor.

"Oh, you gotta be kidding me." I mumble.

The demon horse lowers its head, and GRABS THE BOLT, lifting it up, clenched in its teeth. Then it trots over, like a happy puppy, and drops the bolt next to me.

"I SO did not expect that to do anything, let alone WORK." I stare at the bolt.

The demon horse stomps a front hoof.

"Huh? Oh, yeah sure." I hold the energy bar up. "Go for it."

It snatches the bar, and chomps away; and if this were any more weird, it would have been moaning with deliciousness.

Thankfully, this was NOT any more weird.

Examining the bolt, I hazard a question. I mean, if THIS worked..."So, just thinking out loud here, but would you be willing to, I dunno, in exchange for more energy bars, maybe...gimme a leg-up?"

The horse lifts its back leg a bit.

"NO!" I lift both hands in a stop gesture. "Eh-heh. No. Not what I meant. I meant, would you be willing to let me ride you? See, that scary dude with the green horns broke my leg, and I'm kind of on a mission to find this friend of mine, so-..."

The horse's head bobs up and down.

"What, seriously? You will? I mean, I'll totally feed you, and whatever, I swear!" I beam. This is so CRAZY!

The demon horse sidles up right next to me, and kneels down.

"You ROCK, demon horse!" I hook the backpack and my messenger bag onto the saddle horn, and there's even this nifty weapons hook that the crossbow fits ~perfectly~ on. Then comes the arduous task of getting myself on the saddle. I manage to get up, painfully, but then hop on my left foot, and climb onto the saddle.

This. Horse. Is. HUUUUGE. When this badass stands up, I feel 50-feet taller, although, realistically, his shoulder height is probably 6-ish feet, maybe 6'5".

"Whoa, okay. It's been a few years since I've been on horseback, so...okay." I get my bearings. "Mia and Yuli went that wa-AAAAAAY!"

So, I'm guessing this horse can totally understand me, or something, because it is OFF man; running like its ass is on fire. Not even an earthquake stops this thing. No, seriously, it ran through a frickin' earthquake.

"Heeey, thaaaat's bucketheeead!" I hold on with one hand, and point, but my arm just flaps helplessly around against the force of this horse running. I'm still technically yelling that as the horse runs right PAST Buckethead, and leaps the crevasse.

Point; there is LIGHT on the one side of the crevasse, and dark where we just came from. Is this going to effect the demon horse's existence, as the light suggests the demon castle's hold on THIS SIDE of reality has been broken. By the time I'm done

thinking this, the horse has landed, and is completely fine, and showing NO SIGNS of stopping.

A red jeep honks at us, and I'm still holding on for dear life, my arm flapping kind-of, in the wind, as it pulls up next to us.

"Heeeey, Miiiaaaa. I stooole a deeemon horrrrse!" Before Mia can answer, the horse speeds up. This keeps up for, oh, I dunno how many frikkin' miles, or kilometers, or light-years, or whatever. And then the horse just STOPS. I don't go flying, like I would totally expect to, but I'm completely windblown and dazed for a few seconds.

"Well," I sigh. "We made good time." I pat the horse's neck.

It shivers, and makes this pleased sound, almost like a purr.

"Did we break the sound barrier?" I look up. "Is that mount Fuji?"

The horse knickers and bobs its head up and down.

"Oh." I nod a couple times myself. "That time warp you just pulled deserves a break...and some food."

The demon horse kneels, and I slide off. Ahh, solid ground.

"So tell me; you always run like the devil is chasing you?" I take out a couple bars, and unwrap the first.

The horse grunts and shakes its bead.

"Oh?" I shake my head deftly. "So, that was, what? Making good impression?" I ask.

The horse pricks its ears, and bats its eyelashes at me.

I blink and give him an energy bar, which he gobbles.

"Okay, lesson one in humans: You almost blew my head off. Seeing as you didn't, we're still friends. So, we can just, I dunno, WALK, or jog, from now on. We don't have to go ludicrous speed, okay? Maaaaybe, if buckethead is after us, but for now? Fast enough to keep up with..." I look as a jeep pulls up. "That car. Okay?"

I swear this horse just went 'Uh-huh'.

"Emma?" Mia jumps out. "Were you just-?"

"Demon horse went plaid, yeah." I nod.

Mia starts. "What? I mean, yes. That was the horse?"

I shrug. "He was trying to make a good first impression."

Mia kind of nods in this jerky, unsure, motion.

I point behind us. "Mount Fuji. Do you have ANY idea why demon horse would bring me to mount Fuji?"

Mia comes out of her confusion and nods. "As a matter of fact, yes."

"Ryo's here!" Yuli pipes in.

"That's great! One question!" I grin. "Who's Ryo?" I get my answer with the rumbling of the mountain.

"Omigawd, it's exploding! We're all gonna die, you stupid horse, you hate me!"

White Blaze grabs the sword from Mia, and runs up the side of the mountain.

"Ohhh! Katana." I point at White Blaze.

The horse nods a bit, and makes an agreeable sound.

"Come on!" Mia and Yuli run up the mountain after White Blaze.

"Yeah, no, I'm not a volcano-type person." I wave. "We'll guard the car."

The horse glance at me, and I get a definite, 'Screw that, I'm going' vibe as the horse starts to climb up after them.

"Buckethead is up there!" I call, but I'm not entirely sure I'm right.

The horse slides down backward, and sits like a pup when it reaches the jeep.

"Wow." I sigh a few minutes later. "This side of the apocalypse is boring."

The horse bobs its head.

Screams can be heard from atop the volcano.

"OR we're missing all the fun." I shrug, and lean my chin on one hand.

The horse gives me this heavy-lidded glare.

"What?"

Lava erupts from the volcano, shooting straight up into the air.

I give the horse the same look.

The horse grunts, and turns away with a snort.

We listen to the commotion, we play 'rock, paper, scissors', but it gets boring because the horse keeps playing 'hoof', which isn't even a choice, or maybe it's rock. We ride laps around the car, and I play fetch with the bolts - shoot a bolt, horse fetches it - and generally get bored.

Earthquakes have just become this weird constant in the apocalypse, but I just can't seem to get used to the idea. The lava is unnerving, too, especially when its SHOOTING OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN!

"RUN!" I get on the demon horse's back. "Go! Ludicrous speed, go!" I yank the reins.

The horse turns with a grunt.

"What are you waiting for, Gooo!" I snap the reins.

The horse turns and looks at the jeep.

"What?" I glance at the car. "Serious? There is LAVA, SPEWING out of the MOUNTAIN!"

The demon horse stomps a foot.

"Ohhh, you mean THEM." I look up to the mountain. "Can you do it?"

The demon horse turns, and swipes its hooves on the ground, like a bull about to charge.

"Chaaaarge!" I point with a bolt, and demon horse runs up the mountain like a boss.

Yuli and Mia are crouched behind a rock, lava rocks spitting out all over the place. White Blaze runs over and joins them.

"Yuli, Mia! Get on!" We ride up. "Now, now!"

"Emma, am I glad to see you!" Mia climbs on the horse behind me, Yuli in front.

"Thank me later!" I shout as the horse takes off. "Hooold oooon!"

We make it down the mountain in record time. Yuli and Mia are totally woozy.

"Snap out of it! Volcano ERUPTING!" I point as the horse does panicked circles. "Knock it off, horse!"

"Yuli, White Blaze!" Mia shouts as she gets in the car.

White Blaze runs up, and looks the horse up and down then looks at me.

"Yeah, I kidnapped a demon horse, so what?!" I shout as the horse starts to run, but only fast enough to keep up with Mia, who's pressing the leadfoot, and finally hurrying.

"HIGER GROUND!" Someone shouts. "GET TO HIGHER GROUND!"

The jeep turns up a mountain path, and those of us not in the car follow behind.

The road comes up on an outcropping, and there's a PERSON standing there.

"HEY! HEY!" I shout after the car, and it slams on its breaks. Steering the horse, but it mostly just GOES, we approach the guy in red subarmor. "I take it, you're Ryo?"

He turns. "Sure am, and you would be...?" He looks at the horse. "The demon horse whisperer?"

"Emma." I nod. "BRIBER, of demon horse. This scary dude broke my ankle, and you gotta admit, a don horse is WAY better than a wheelchair."

"Got me there." Ryo laughs as he pets the horse's nose.

"Hey boy, what'd she give ya, sugar cubes?"

"Energy bars." I nod.

Ryo gives me a 'you're fucking kidding me, right?' kind-of look.

I shrug.

The jeep pulls up.

Mia hops out with Yuli. "Ryo, thank god. Are you all right?

"Me? No sweat!" Ryo taps his chest with a fist.

Boys...

"Wow, look at that!" Yuli runs up next to the horse, and points at the exploding volcano. "Cool."

"Kinda, I guess, but if finding you guys causes natural disasters, isn't the world better off in a demon apocalypse?" I ask.

"NO." Everyone says loudly. Even the horse growls at me.

Ryo turns to look out at the smoking volcano, contemplative. "Looks like I won the battle this time, but we really need all five armors to defeat the evil dynasty."

The demon horse bobs its head and makes an affirmative noise.

"Yea, and the other four HAVE to be alive." Mia says, hopeful." She gives Ryo a glance.

If I had a burned-out light bulb in one hand, it would pop on just now. I've seen that look. I give Rowen that look, like, ALL THE TIME.

"We'll keep searching until we find them." Ryo turns, and gives Mia a look - not the SAME look, and replies. "Thanks."

Yup. Ryo is JUST as oblivious to Mia as Rowen is to me. I hope Mia doesn't give up that look the way I did, like, a LONG time ago.

"YEAH! YOU BET!" Yuli is SO excited.

I still prefer people, a tiger, and a demon horse, to being alone in an outdoor store.


	4. The Search Begins

Happy Thanksgiving! EXTRA CHAPTER POST OF HAPPINESS!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ronin Wariorrs...if I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

The Search Begins

We've been heading up this deserted, mountain, road, for a while. I'm on the horse, Yuli is sitting on my lap, snapping the reins like we're gonna speed up, but right now is a walking kind of gig. Ryo is riding White Blaze, who looks totally down with just walking for now. Next to us, the jeep is slowly inching along. Mia's having fun with the brakes, and listening to the radio.

"So, lay this out for me." Ryo says. "How did even get AHOLD if a demon horse. I mean, what's it doing HERE?"

"Because there are NO demons in this world, whatsoever, right now?" I snort.

"True, but humor me." Ryo laughs.

"Well, I was minding my own business, when this scary dude cracks an attitude with me, and strings me up like a popcorn garland. Then he breaks my ankle, and if it hadn't been for Mia

and Yuli saving my butt, I'd be dead, so thanks, by the way, Yuli." I say.

"No problem." Yuli yawns.

"Anyway, then this carriage, and Buckethead roll by, and this soldier on a horse takes a total attitude with me, but I totally shot him in the face. It was awesome."

"Totally." Ryo nods.

"Anyway, the horse just kinda hung around, and really I was just waiting for Mia to come back, so I start talking to the horse to entertain myself, but the horse ACTUALLY responds."

"What'd ya say?" Ryo asks.

"I told him if he brought me my bolt from the soldier, I'd give it an energy bar." I shrug. "And he did, so I gave it to him. Then I asked if maybe we could hang together for a while,

since I can't walk, and he was totally down, and let me ride him."

"No way!" Ryo laughs.

"Yes way, and he goes gnarly fast, like, crazy fast. But I told him to slow it down unless Buckethead is chasing us."

"Buckethead." Ryo snorts. "Man, a dime a dozen, am I right?"

"Nope. Only one. Has a red face." I tap my nose.

"Ohh. You mean Anubis." Ryo says.

"Anubis?" I snort. "Of course, silly me."

"Yeah, well, don't underestimate them." Ryo looks around a bit.

"Do I look like I'm packin' to underestimate people?" I frown.

"No. You're doing better than I am, actually." Ryo grunts through his nose.

I shrug. "I dunno about that, but thanks."

The demon horse abruptly stops in his tracks. Slowly, it bends its head around to look behind it and makes this grunting sort-of noise. WhitenBlaze stops, and turns, too.

"See somethin'?" I ask.

The horse stares then turns and looks at White Blaze.

"I think you should get in the car, Yuli." I say.

"Okay." Yuli yawns.

The demon horse trots up next to the jeep, and i pound the roof. "Mia! Yuli's coming in."

The car stops, and Ryo helps Yuli from the demon horse, into the car.

"You too, Ryo." I say as the demon horse does this dizzying 360. "Woah boy, woah, woah. Getting super dizzy now."

"No way! I can jam." Ryo holds up his fists. "Yeah, but this horse can smell demons miles away, AND can ride fast enough to get there BEFORE Yuli and Mia, so JAM with THEM on

the off-chance twitchy horse-ears here and I wipe out against all those demons he's smelling, okay? You need to find the Ronin Warriors; I'm just a tourist with a demon horse."

"Nah, you're smarter than that. You TAMED a demon horse, with energy bars." Ryo says as he opens the car door. "You're not JUST anything, Emma. If anything else, you're a survivor,

and you did it all on your own."

"Well, maybe you should just kick back and leave saving the world to me." I shrug.

Ryo laughs and gets in the car. "Y'know, I may just have to take you up on that." Ryo says out the window.

Mia leans out the window. "Emma, are you going to be all right?"

"Din't sweat it. I'll keep an eye in White Blaze." I didn't really answer her question, because the answer is no. I may LOOK like I have it all figured out, crossbow in hand, tamed a demon horse, chillin'-like-a-villain...heh...Rowen would totally get a kick out me saying that. He likes American slang, and is always imitating it. I get on his case, but what I wouldn't give to hear him try and rap in English right now.

Once the jeep makes better time, I let the demon horse go find what he thinks is there. All I can do is hang on for dear life, and think about all the nice things Ryo said.

"Deeemooon hoorrrrrse awaaaay!"

The demon horse stops at this turn-off, and stares down the paved road. I have no idea how far away we are from the jeep, or if they're even coming this far. Everything went by so fast

that I couldn't get a REALLY good look, but the tree went from trees to a nice residential area. There's a sign here, and it looks kind of important. I'm having trouble deciphering the

kanji. The horse finds something interesting to pick at on the

ground, and paws around a bit.

"Shuu...no. Sha - no, that's not right. Move your head, I can't see." When the horse moves its head, something is scratched out, using some kind of pointy object no doubt. "Shinshou University. Ah!...wait..." I lean over and look at the horse. It quickly sucks something into its mouth. "What did-? Did you just-?"

The demon horse shakes its head.

"Well, spit it out." I smack the side of his neck.

The demon horse slowly opens its mouth, and out falls a sharp-ish rock.

I stare at the rock. "Oh." There's really nothing else to say; it's a demon horse. As I'm still contemplating the words in the sign, and the insinuation from the rock, that the demon horse wrote the words, the demon horse trots up the road.

"You can write?" I exclaim.

The horse turns, looks at me, its tongue sticking out, and then turns back to face forward as it keeps on up the road, which is a driveway, as we come upon a very nice looking set of buildings.

"Shinshou University, I presume." Even if I could walk, I wouldn't dismount. This place a definite creepy vibe. Dead plants, trees, dark-windowed buildings, and not a single reason

not to turn and run away.

"Are you saying THIS place is what you were looking at."

The demon horse ruffles its head and snorts.

"Then...what? Why are we here?" I ask.

Behind us, a car is pulling up the driveway. I turn to see that it's Mia's red jeep.

"Lemme guess, you KNEW they were coming here?" I sigh.

On my honor, this horse just chuckled.

"Well, hey there, stranger!" Mia calls out.

"Hey." I say, but not really trying. "Okay, lemme down."

The demon horse makes this, like, roaring-ish noise, and backs up from the building.

"Woah, what's up with that?" Ryo has to jump back in the car again to avoid getting trampled.

White Blaze runs around the other side of the car.

"Dude, easy! Just lemme down!" I almost FALL OFF as this horse is backing AWAY from the building, like it's made of death.

Yuli gets out of the car, just kind of sulking.

I can't help but notice him, but the horse is still freaking out. "ENOUGH!"

The demon horse stops, and everyone stares at me.

"Sorry." I take a deep breath. "Horse. Let me down. Now." I can feel the demon horse hesitating, but after only a couple seconds, it kneels down like it did in the city when I climbed on, Only this time I'm sliding off.

AAHHH...my THIGHS! How LONG was I on that horse? I got off at the volcano, so whyyyy?

"You okay?" Ryo asks.

I nod, even though it's a LIE!

"Okay, well, we're gonna go in." Ryo says as he walks in with Mia and Yuli. "So this is Shinshou University..."

Yuli still looks kinda down.

"Hey Yuli." I open my field bag. "Can you do me a favor?"

Yuli turns and walks over. "Sure, what's up?"

"I brought this to take vacation photos, but I'm not sure what kind cool stuff I should take pictures of." I hand Yuli the polaroid camera. "Think you could find some stuff for me, and take pictures?"

"Cool." Yuli grins. "You bet, you can count on me!" He takes the camera inside with him.

I stand next to the horse, on one foot, testing how much weight I can put on it. NOT THAT MUCH WEIGHT! NOT THAT MUCH WEIGHT! I just kinda steppop a bit, stretch some muscles, try and get the blood flowing again. It's really quiet here, and it's a little freaky, but all-in-all, it's still better than running around ALONE in the city, with a crossbow. Steppop. "Ow." Steppop. "Ow."

The demon horse snorts at me, and growls, I guess, for me to get back in the saddle.

"Okay fine." I relent and get back on the demon horse's back.

The demon horse carries me around the outside of the building, but there's not much to see by way of scenery, since everything is pretty much dead. The demon horse pauses by a window, and I can heR vague voices, and then shouting.

Getting close to the window, I see an older gentleman, Mia, Yuli, and Ryo, in a computer room of some kind. There's definitely a confrontation happening, but what beef could this

guy have with Ryo

"Oh maan, I wish I could read lips." I lean on the demon horse's neck, like it's gonna get me any closer to the people inside the room. Then I see the older gentleman, and Ryo, are both holding swords. "Oh...crap. Is that a bad guy?"

The demon horse shakes its head and snorts.

"No? Well, why is he trying to kill Ryo?" I don't actually expect the horse to answer me.

The demon horse does start thrashing its head back firth, sort if at my crossbow, and the window.

"What are you, crazy?! I'm not going to shoot that guy! For all WE know, he could just be Mia's overprotective FATHER?" The demon horse snorts, and knickers.

"You don't have parents, do you." I frown at the back of the demon horse's head.

The demon horse stomps its feet.

When I look up, Ryo jumps into the air, and comes down, the sword laying against the older gentleman's forehead and nose. Disgusting purple smoke comes out of the man, and his body

crumples to the floor. "See? He was possessed, and you wanted me to SHOOT him."

The demon horse snorts.

"GRANDFATHER!" Mia screams, cradling the man.

"Oh." I pout. "Wait, did Ryo just KILL Mia's grandfather?"

The demon horse's jaw opens slightly.

I look similar.

Yuli turns and looks out the window. He waves at me, but is pouting.

I nod slowly.

"We should be in there." I say.

Just like that, White Blaze comes bolting out of the building like a bat outta hell, and runs across the campus to another building.

"Hey, CAT!" I shout after him, and the demon horse turns to follow. by chance, I glance up at the top of the adjacent building, and see a figure. "Oh, creepy!" I shout.

The demon horse stops, and looks up, too.

"What the hell? What is tha-AAAA!" we're in the air; this friggin' horse just jumped, like a freaky-horse-shaped- grasshopper, and lands on the roof.

"An annoying little kitty has sniffed me out." Says this creepy dude with his back to the demon horse and I.

"He's not the only one!" I shout, trying to startle him, but he doesn't move at all.

Then the horse jumps again, and the creepy guy had swiped a couple of gnarled swords at us.

"Oh dude, did you seriously SEE that coming?" i shriek as the demon horse lands, and trots around to stand with White Blaze.

"Ahh, so it is YOU. It must be. Dais said there is a mere HUMAN, meddling in the affairs of the dynasty."

I shrug. "Meddle...? More like, saving my own ass."

"Yes, you DID kill two of Anubis's soldiers, and have even captured one of our steeds."

I give the horse's head a glance. "I'm pretty sure he wants to say lost."

"We shall see. I do not have patience for meddlesome humans, and will dispatch you before you make a mess of my Master Talpa's new empire!"

New names to blame for the apocalypse. Noted.

"You're not worth the bolts I would waste in your face!" I shout. The demon horse stomps, rears, and whinnies. White Blaze roars, and lunges at the creepy guy.

"Come on, let's get Ryo!" I direct the demon horse to the edge of the building. Jumping down is even weirder than jumping up.

Without wasting time, we head to the building Ryo was fighting...er...Mia's grandfather in.

"Ryo!" I hope he can hear e. The demon horse pulls up right next to the window, and I knock on it. "There's a creepy guy on the roof!" I point at the adjacent building. Ryo shrugs.

"THE ROOF! White Blaze found a CREEPY GUY on the ROOF!"

Lightning crashes, and thunder roars. Ryo gets closer to the window, shading his eyes a moment then takes off like a shot.

"What, do I have to be a LIGHTNING ROD to get a point across around here?! SHEESH!" I turn just in time to see Ryo is on the roof. "Am I the ONLY one who can't leap buildings in a single bound?"

The horse grunts.

"I wasn't really ASKING." I kick him with my good leg.

Looking anywhere but at the demon horse, I see Mia is sitting at her computer still, and Yuli is standing right next to her chair.

It seems Mia's grandfather just died. It makes me wonder where my parents are, what they're doing; is the apocalypse in America, too? Is the castle only affecting Japan? My dad had

mentioned taking their own trip while I'm away, and my younger sister is on a similar trip in France. Is there an apocalypse in France? I hope not. This whole situation is just SO WEIRD, I

really want it to be over, but I also want to find Rowen before anything else. I find him, then the demons can tKe over the world, or whatever, but I'm not satisfied until I know my BFF is

okay.

Turning, I look up just to see how Ryo's fairing against that creepy guy, but instead I see them falling toward the horse and I.

"Mo-mo-MOOOOOVE!" I shriek as the demon horse quickly runs to safety.

That creepy guy has quite the presence, as he lands and this HUGE, pink, bubble spreads out like dome of cotton-candy DOOM. Except, this is no gum bubble. It eats away the entire front of the building they're fighting next to.

"You're shitting me." I gawk at the devastation offhand.

The horse snorts and shakes its head.

"Great, juuuust great. A BAD GUY who can MELT. BUILDINGS!" I wave my arms out. "FUCK!"

The horse knickers and stomps its foot.

I sigh. "Thaaaat's...dumb." I glare at the battle. "Why can he melt buildings?" As if life isn't going to be hard enough, y'know, surviving an apocalypse and all, but now there's a bad guy who can MELT steel and concrete, like its cream cheese. The building even LOOKS like melted cream cheese; all lumpy, and melty, and gross like boiled spinach. I should be really scared, but I'm more-or-less just pissed off that somebody like this exists in the world, and to top it all off, he's beating the shit out if Ryo. If Ryo dies, the human race's chances of survival go down by 1/5. I dunno how I know that, I just KNOW. There were five guys in the city, including Cye and Rowen, the funny guy, and the guy with the pretty eyes. I let my mind linger on the memory of those hypnotizing eyes, and then come back to reality.

"KICK HIS ASS! RYO! WE'RE ALL FUCKED WITHOUT YOU!"

More like moral support than anything else, and Ryo is jumping around so much, I don't even know that he can hear me.

Cheering doesn't give a shit.

And neither does Yuli. "Hey Ryo! He's only got two swords, he's just moving them really, really fast!" The kid is waving around a polaroid.

Creepy guy doesn't seem too happy about that.

Ryo jumps up onto the half-melted building, and SHEDS his armor.

"Oh, you're shitting me." I sulk. Even the demon horse sags in disbelief.

When next the creepy guy attacks, Ryo's dodging like a pro, and if I hadn't been watching intensely, I wouldn't have seen hm leap, yank of the creepy guy's swords, and turn. He slices the bad guy WITH HIS OWN SWORD! And the guy just FALLS! Like the wicked witch, he's meelting, he's meeeltiiing!

Then the bricks are turning to sludgy blocks, and the concrete paste holding the bricks together turns to runny goo.

"MOVE IT PEOPLE! He's melting, and he's taking the campus with him!" I shout. to the point, I'd say.

Ryo jumps down from the building, and leaps through the passenger-side jeep window as Mia gets in and revs the car to life.

Of course, demon horse is booking it. We even beat the car to the end of the driveway. Then it's a shirt drive before Mia pulls off ear a beach.

I'mo not complaining. Japan is full of random riverside beaches, and inlets. The demon horse books it for the water, with me still on its back, and splashes around in the water.

"Car, please! Splash after!" The demon horse carries me to the car, and climb onto the hood. The demon horse runs around, chasing and playing with White Blaze.

"Thanks for the distraction." Ryo says.

"Huh?" I start. "Oh, the bolt. Yeah, sure." 198, I tally in my head. "So, what'd we learn?" I ask.

"Well, Mia says we're going to the Kanasoda Gulch Pinnacles." Ryo looks really unimpressed with the information.

I wave my hand over the top of my head. "And...?"

"Near Akiyoshidai." Ryo says.

"Ohhh! I was gonna go there tomorrow - er - today...with Rowen." I sigh and sulk. But then a thought occurs to me. "Do you think Rowen is there?" My mood increases a bit.

Ryo sulks. "No, but Mia thinks Sage is there."

I'm less happy, only because I don't know Sage. He's one of the good guys...right? "He's a good guy, isn't he?"

"He's a Ronin Warrior, but I haven't gotten to know him myself. Hey, don't worry. We may not find Rowen tomorrow, but we won't stop looking until all five Ronin Warriors are

together again."

I nod, and look to see demon horse trotting through the water.

"Yuli's parents were captured." Ryo says. "We went to his house today; poor kid though his folks would be home."

"That's what kids think. Parents are superheroes, and untouchable."

"They're not..." Ryo says with a tight expression.

I don't have to ask. That's loss on his face.

"Should we go now?" Yuli and Mia aren't standing far off.

Mia replies. "Let's stay just a bit longer."

Yuli has this forced, happy smile as he turns to ask Mia, of all people. "Mia, we're gonna find my parents real soon, aren't we?"

Mia has this look on her face, like there's no happy answer.

I glance at Ryo, who glances at me.

Ryo turns with this intense look on his face, and says. "But FIRST we have to find the other 4 Ronin Warriors, and dethrone Talpa, for everyone's sake."

What a trooper.

Mia and Yuli turn and nod.

White Blaze roars approval, and demon horse whinnies.

Ryo looks at me.

I nod. "I'm in."

We hang out and play for a few minutes then all pile in the jeep, I climb back on the horse, and we're off to the pinnacles.


	5. Halo's Prison

Due to the BUSY BUSY nature of Black Friday, I'm posting your regularly scheduled chapter TODAY!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ronin Warriors. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction.

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><p>Chapter 5<p>

Halo's Prison

"Hey, wake up!"

Why I'm suddenly waking up in the dark, with a good-looking blonde guy knelt over me like he's prince charming.

"I'M DEAD!" I scream and sit up.

"What did you do THAT for?" He growls at me, holding his right palm over his ear. I knocked him on his butt, but other than that, he's not far away.

"Heaven is full of blonde guys!" I grin. I sound like a total moron, I know, but how else did I get here? "Maybe that building melted all over my face afterall, or -GASP- this is hell." I glare and turn to the blonde man. "Are you Satan?"

He swings a fist at me, but it goes right THROUGH my head.

"What?!" His eyes go wide.

"GHOST! GHOOOOST!" I push away until my back hits a wall.

"Shut up, I' m not...a ghost." He looks at his hands with an unsure expression. After a couple seconds, he clenches his fists, and punches the ground. "NO! I'M NOT DEAD!"

Poor guy. I shouldn't have been so harsh with my reaction. "Oh, I'm sorry." I move back over toward him, and sit cross-legged. "Maybe you're not dead."

"AND WHAT?!" He stands up. "WHAT DID YU DO TO ME, HUH?"

"Wha - me?! I didn't do THIS! I just woke up here, and now YOU'RE yelling at ME?"

"HOW the hell else did I get like this?" He reaches a hand out and it goes through my neck. It kinda tingles.

"Quit it." I flick at his hand, but it just passes through his wrist.

He removes his hand, frowning.

Staring at him just a few seconds, I stand up. "Well, not gonna figure you out just sitting here." I look around.

"Now...where the heck did that horse go?"

"There was a dynasty demon horse deeper in the cave." He points with a thumb down a deep, uninviting darkness.

"Of course." I grump. "I HATE the dark. Hey HORSE, I'm leavin' you behind! Hey..." I look down at my ankle. "My ankle...it doesn't hurt."

"Oh." He rubs the back of his neck. "I guess that was kinda ME." He turns his gaze down to the cave floor. "I could see a disruption in your aura, and your ankle was all wrapped up, so I touched it - kinda, I guess. I just held my hand over it, and it

sort of healed."

I smile. "Cool. Gimme a sec, so I can take off the bandages, and we'll go find your body."

"I'M NOT A GHOST!" He snaps.

After I get my ankle u wrapped, it feels much better to walk on. We climb down a bit, and there's my backpack.

"He-hey, the backpack! But what's it doing down here?" I pick up, and check the stuff inside it. "Everything LOOKS okay. Sweet, nothing broken." I take out a bottle of water, and swig it. "Here, keep hydrated."

"Huh? Oh, thanks." He reaches through the bottle, and frowns.

"Sorry...I forgot already." I twist the cap back on and stuff it in the backpack with the emergency food, bolts, and emergency kits. "Oh yeah, Mia has my first kit. Well, I've got these at least." I roll up and stuff the bandages I took off my ankle into the bag. "Let's go, spooky." I slide down the next ledge.

"Not a ghost." He mutters.

"Whatever, let's go, not-ghost-hot-guy." I climb down, not giving a shit anymore as he protests loudly at my choice of name-calling. I guess I could just ask his REAL name, but I don't even know if I'm really just hallucinating, or what. Even so, if I can hallucinate a guy THIS good looking, I've got a better imagination than I thought.

"Okay, stop. Stop! Hellooo?" He's stopped somewhere behind me.

"Yes, hello. I'm actually LOOKING for something, so no, I can't stop until I find it." I sigh.

"You're-!" He suddenly turns, and looks in a very deliberate direction; behind us.

"What, what is it? Bad guys? I don't have my crossbow, and you're intangible, so we're screwed!" I exclaim, waving my arms around.

"No - hey - shut up for second, will you? SHH! I heard someone calling my name." He holds up a hand, but that gesture doesn't usually make me shut up. Today it does.

"I don't want to be here any longer than I have to, okay? Come on." I head on. Truth? I have a fear of getting stuck deep in a cave with underground, blood-sucking, mole-people.

Yes.

"Hey, hold up!" He climbs down after me. "Where's the fire? Heeey!"

"I'm UNCOMFORTABLE with caves." I say to his face. "Especially DEEP caves."

I can feel his eyes on me as I climb down, searching for signs of the demon horse, or the crossbow, or my messenger bag, or something...SOMETHING, preferably that I can cling to. A person, or SOMETHING.

"Are you having a panic attack?" He's standing next to me with this really concerned look on his face.

"Huh?" I realize I'm looking at him like I've never seen another human being before. "No." YES! YES I AM!

"You sure?" He asks.

I nod quickly and move on. "Uh-huh, sure, no problem." I'm totally fibbing, but I've been bottling everything else up so far; screaming only got me far toward venting, but honestly I'm really starting to lose my grip on reality here. I need to focus.

"Hey, STOP!" He shouts.

Suddenly the sound of hoof-falls makes me turn, and the demon horse grabs the back of my shirt in its teeth.

"Don't. Move." The not-ghost-guy says. He's holding his hands up, like he's gonna stop me from doing something or other.

"What?" I slowly turn to look ahead of me, and see a bottomless drop of DOOM. "Oh...shit..."

"Okay horse, ease her back from the cliff edge...easy. Slow now." And the demon horse does as he asks.

Just a couple steps are what I needed, but I didn't even see the edge ahead. "See...? That's..." I point at the cliff. "The reason...I hate caves."

"Makes two of us." He says, looking from me to the cliff.

The demon horse and clops off down a ragged path-ish surface leading down.

"Crimity, you're kidding me." I take a deep breath then start to follow the stupid demon horse, knowing there's something important wherever he's going.

"Woah, wait." The blonde not-ghost gets in my way, arms outstretched. "Where are you going?"

"He knows." I point in the direction the demon horse is standing.

"Bullshit, it's a horse! Dead or not, I wanna get the hell out of here!"

"And go where?!" I shout back. End of my rope. "Huh? I was out there on my own for less than a day, and that was too long. All that's out there is front row seats to the apocalypse! I'm not saying it's any safer in here, but what other choice do we have?

You're DEAD, and my only friend is a demon horse who loves energy bars! So, you know what? Your odds are better than mine, so be my guest-go out there. At least in here, you have company." Having said that, I slide after the demon horse, and he keeps on when I've caught up.

Up top sounds like its getting dicey; there's shouting and heavy footsteps coming up on us. Ahead, the demon horse stops next to a figure lying on the ground

"Oh no...White Blaze!" I trip down the rocky path ahead of the demon horse, and almost fall when I get to White Blaze.

The giant white tiger jerks toward me like he wants to get up, but is struggling hard.

"He's hurt. Look at this. This wound is festering, like it's months old." I hold White Blaze's paw.

White Blaze yelps.

"Oh sorry, sorry." I try to hold it softer. "Can you do that healing thing again?" I ask the not-ghost guy.

"Well, um, I guess I could." He shrugs. "Give it a try, at least." He moves toward White Blaze.

White Blaze looks from him to the injured paw, to him. "By the way, what's your name?" I ask.

He looks at me, but says nothing, and then turns back to White Blaze, his hands hovering around White Blaze's paw.

"Okaaay, don't tell me." I grump.

"I just did." He frowns.

"No you didn't, you just LOOKED at me then looked back at White Blaze."

He looks at me again. Nothing. A second later, he nods. I shake my head.

"Weird." He pulls his hands away from White Blaze's paw. "There. How's that, big guy?"

White Blaze tests the paw then stands up, and walks a couple steps to join the demon horse, both now sitting, heads craned down at something.

"So, what? You can't touch anything, and you can't tell me your name?" I fold my arms. "Stingy."

"It's not like I'm doing this on purpose!" He shouts.

I unfold my arms, and tuck them in the pockets of my jacket. "Well, fine, if you can't tell me your name, tell me something about you."

He frowns. "Why?"

"Because, if I'm gonna get stuck in a cave, with a dead guy, I'd really like to know who he used to be." I shrug. "And I'll tell you something about me. One for one."

He makes this frustrated face. "I'm telling you, I'm not dead, or a ghost, I'm...confused." He looks from the ground, to me. "Alright, fair enough. I'm from Miyagi."

"Nice. I'm from Oregon." I say.

"Doesn't it rain all the time there?" He arches a blonde eyebrow.

"Pretty much." I walk to see what the two large animals are looking at. "What about Miyagi?"

"What about Miyagi, what?" He joins me.

"Does it rain all the time?" I glance at him.

"No. It's humid, and mostly in the mountains." He shrugs. I never really thought about the weather, actually."

"Not many people do. So what's your house like? Mansion? Or double-wide?"

He gets this "oh shit" look on his face. "Um...mansion, and a dojo."

"I...I was just kidding. You really live in a mansion?" I gawk.

"My great-great grandfather was a Shogun. He built the house for his wife and children, and it's been in the family ever since."

"Wow." I beam. "Do you have, like, stuff from the shogun era in glass cases, or antique tea-rooms?"

"Don't tell me you're a wee-a-boo." He frowns.

Compose yourself, Emma. "Um, no." I clear my throat. "No. I just think it's cool that you have a family legacy." I look down. BIG MISTAKE. "That's...really..."

"Deep." he finishes.

"No, you guys can NOT go cave-diving without parachutes." I shake my head, mostly because I disapprove of the height.

The demon horse grunts at the chasm.

"So what about you? Any family legacy?" He asks.

"Mental disease or defect." I say, and sit on a rock.

"Sorry I asked." He sits near-ish to me.

"Don't be, my family's alright. My step-mom is the worst, my step-dad's in second place, my step-sisters are vying for third, and I'm bringing up the rear." I shrug.

"Are you the youngest in your family?" He sounds intrigued.

"No, no, I'm the good ol' middle-child-syndrome." I snort. "Man, those are some FUN family therapy sessions."

I would expect a ghost's face to be pale-ish, but up to now, he's looked pretty normal...except that all color is drained from his face.

"Sorry...TMI?" I wince.

His jaw moves bit, like he's trying to speak, and then shakes his head. "No!...I men, no. I, um, I'm the middle child in my family." He says. "Between sisters."

"Join the club." I say morosely.

His expression softens.

"Wanna compare notes?" I ask.

He sighs. "Open that can of worms at your risk."

"My older sister let her friends make fun of my clothes." I say.

"My older sister dressed me up like her own personal porcelain kimi doll, and my mom took pictures." He says.

I lean away a bit from his intensity. "My mom said it was phase, and she would grow out of it, and never told her to stop."

"My mom helped her." He says with this magnanimously straight face.

"Oh, bad joo-joo." I shake my head.

"To say the least." He turns and looks at the demon horse and tiger.

"I'm the middle child between two step siblings." I say. He looks at me. "Dad got married when I was 12, so all of puberty was spent trying to survive the evil step-sisters, AND Rosali Dawson-Collier."

"I'm biologically related to these women." he frowns. "So where was your dad when all this was happening?"

"On business trips, and they would all get to him first, and say I was the one misbehaving behind his back, and it was three against one." I say, having never told anyone this before. Rowen saw it first hand at a 4th-of-July barbecue last year.

"So, you really DO have an evil step-mother; like in fairy tales, and chick flicks?" He asks.

"Yeah, but my friend Erika has a stepmom too; she's really nice though, even guests aren't around, so not all step-moms are bad. Mine won't take me clothes shopping, but I got my part-time job and my own money so she couldn't give me that sneer, and say 'Why would I do that? You're not MY daughter'."

"You win." He shakes his head in disgust. "You win ALOT."

"I wasn't trying to." I slump. Greta, now he knows all my family issues. Dead or not, this guy must think I'm a weirdo.

"I swear I'm not dead, so WHEN we get out if here, I'll take you to see my family's mansion. My mom is nice, and yes, we have an antique tearoom."

I sigh. "I wish I could believe that I'll ever see the light of...day?" I look up, and he's gone. Just...GONE? Like, POOF. Vanished. Jerk.

"Whoa." I look around.

The demon horse runs over and grabs my sleeve, pulling me.

"What, what, what?"

I really hate speaking too soon. The cave shakes, rattles, and rocks start falling from the ceiling. "No, no, no! Let's go, White Blaze!" I climb on the demon horse, and White Blaze runs with us, but larger rocks are falling, threatening to crush us all flat, and block our path. "NO, NO, NOOOO!" Okay, this is EXACTLY what I DIDN'T want to happen. "Fuck..."

And so I wait to be rescued. The demon horse paws at the rubble, trying to get us free, but White Blaze and I just sit as calmly as we can, so as not to use up all the oxygen.

"I feel responsible for this somehow." I look at the demon horse. "By the way, how did we get down here in the first place?" Not like I actually expect him to answer.

The demon horse trots in place. The demon horse trots faster.

"You were running?"

The demon horse spreads its legs like it stopped really fast.

"And you stopped." I glance at White Blaze. "He stopped."

The demon jumps around and kicks.

"You went crazy?"

He keeps going.

"You wanted me off?"

He keeps on.

"Was there danger? A battle?" I ask.

The demon horse rears up and falls down.

"You were hit!" I gasp. "No!"

The demon horse lies on its back and kicks its legs.

"You fell, and couldn't get up. Oh. We all fell down, go boom, eh?" I look around. "That would explain alot, actually."

"Here, I know this is it!" A voice shouts, and it sounds like rocks are moving.

This could be good, or REALLY bad.

The rocks clear, and Yuli pokes his head through the hole. "It's White Blaze!" Kids...

"Yeah, I found White Blaze." I nod as the demon horse growls and shakes his head. "Easy."

"Okay, kid." A familiar voice says, and a head wearing a green helmet comes into view. "Hey, you okay down there?"

I stand up. "You?" I climb over to the hole.

"Here, give me your hand." He reaches through, and clenches my hand in his armor gauntlet. "Sage." He says.

"As in, Parsley, Rosemary, and Thyme?" I ask.

"No." He shakes his head. "As in Sage Date. My name. Just in case you didn't catch it earlier." He winks.

"Still blind here." Ryo says.

"Oh god, Ryo's blind?" I climb through, pulled by Sage, followed by White Blaze, and then the Demon horse.

"Girl, you keep missin' all THIS fun, and we're leavin' you behind." Ryo teases.

"I had fun too, y'know." I say.

"Oh yeah?" Ryo smirks.

"Yeah I was stalked around the cave by a dead, blonde guy." I give Sage a glance.

Mia and Yuli look between Sage and I.

Ryo lets out a heavy breath. "I just totally missed a joke, didn't I?"


	6. The Counter Attack

Well, I wasn't gonna post this until Midnight...close enough

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS; IF I DID, I WOULDN'T BE WRITING FANFICTION!

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><p>Chapter 6<p>

The Counter Attack

Once out of the cave, we're all anxious to just get as far away from the pinnacles before Mia pulls over, pulls out her computer, and works. I get out a couple energy bars, and play fetch with the demon horse and White Blaze.

Ryo's sitting on the hood of the car. "So I was pretty much blind the whole time."

"Ew. You're lucky that guy didn't melt your eyes out." I make as disgusted a face as I can manage.

"Yeah, you're right. Hey, You got anything to eat besides energy bars?" Ryo touches a hand to his stomach.

"Dehydrated soup, and freeze-dried ice cream." I shrug as the demon horse and White Blaze wait for me to throw another piece of energy bar. "Here, knock yourself out." I toss him a few choices, which he catches.

"Sweet." Ryo sys as he tears open some trail mix.

Sage walks up as I throw a couple pieces out toward the animals, who scatter to catch them. "Mia's found something."

"Greeeeat, first a volcano erupts, then an Earthquake, so what next? A great flood?"

"Hey, ease up, we're doing the best we can." Sage frowns.

"I didn't mean it the way it came out." I say, shaking my head. "And anyway, Sage, didn't you say Mia found something?"

"What's with the attitude, huh? I saved your life back there; I don't think it's asking too much for a little gratitude."

I slow my brain down and nod. "You're right."

"Seriously." Sage lightly touches my arm. "You're not stuck in the cave."

I nod.

The demon horse whinnies, and White Blaze roars. I throw the last of the energy bars in my hand to them.

"And, thank you, for coming back for me, Sage." I say.

"A 'thank you?' Was that so hard?" Sage nudges my arm with his elbow.

"Like a rock." I pretend to strain.

Mia stands up on the doorframe on the driver's side, and calls out to us. "Uh, hello, I solved the riddle. We have a new location."

I swear she just glared at me, but I don't say anything. She wouldn't be JEALOUS, would she? I look at Ryo. "She beckons. I guess you should go." I grab my backpack from next to Ryo, and head down to join the demon horse. "Hey cat, the lady found something, and she's ever-so annoyed that no one is paying any mind to her."

The demon horse is standing and chewing as I strap my backpack onto the saddle horn.

Walking up to the demon horse's head, I grab the reins right next to the bit, and lead it. It nudges me as we walk.

"Keep chewing." I say. "And, yes, I'll give you more to eat, but don't forget there are people who need to eat, too."

The jeep starts backing up, and swings into the roadway. Mia sticks her head out the window, and as she's talking, I imagine a guillotine coming down on her neck.

"We're going to the sea of Toyama. It a long drive from here!" Mia calls out.

"I'm not the bad guy here!" I call back, smiling and waving.

The jeep speeds away.

The horse stomps its feet, and White Blaze roars after the jeep as he takes off after it.

"Yeah, just take off and go!" I shout after the jeep.

"Well that was bloody un-called for." A voice says, coming from the demon horse

"Who me, or the -uhhaaAAAHHaa!" I jump away from the demon horse. "You-you-you-!" I point my arm, waving it a bit at the four-legged beast.

The demon horse just gives me this confused, wide-eyed look, smacks its lips a few times, opens its mouth, and all that comes out is a belch.

A laugh rings out.

Slowly, I walk back to the horse, and peer around it,

A teenage boy is standing on the other side, clutching his middle, and laughing so hard, he's crouched on the ground in skinny-jeans, a light blue sweatshirt, and what look like the EXACT same style knock-off converse I was wearing until the outdoor store.

"CYE!" I leap to hug him...and go right through him. Damn.

"Are you okay?" Still chuckling at my expense, Cye turns to help me.

I'm already picking up my sadsack self when Cye's hand goes right through me a couple times.

"Please, don't add insult to injury by ACTUALLY trying to help me." I sigh. "I think I have some kind of psychic link to the Ronin Warriors, because of my friendship with Rowan." I sigh morosely. "But if I start seeing HIM, I'm going to kill myself."

Cye frowns. "That's a terrible thing to say."

I start. "What, THAT? I was raised to talk like that, but I wouldn't ACTUALLY kill myself, are you crazy?"

Cye gives me this 'simmer down' sort of look, and arches an eyebrow at me. "I'm not the bad guy here, love. That woman driving the red jeep, I'm not so sure about."

I stop for a moment. "You didn't answer my question." I wait. Nothing. "Wait, are you? Ghosts are one thing, or psychic link, but CRAZY ghosts I'm totally NOT ready for." I pull the demon horse's nose toward me.

It gets this 'OMIGAWD' wide-eyed look on its face.

"Hang on, I'm not mad. I was just thinking it's nice to have someone to talk to as adamant and pretty as you, Emma." He balls his hands on his hips, and I just wanna HUG HIM.

The horse makes this sound, that I swear is 'ooh-lala'.

I frown and blush at the demon horse then look at ghost-Cye as we keep walking down the empty, lonely, dark, LONG, road. Dammit, Mia. "Uhh, are you flirting with me, Cye?"

Cye smiles. "Why, is it working?" "It's...weird." I say thoughtfully. "I mean, you're pretty much a ghost...and flirting with me while we walk down this empty, dark, possibly haunted, road."

The demon horse's ears perk up, and it makes an 'oh no' type sound as its eyes scan the road.

Cye looks kind of uncomfortable. "Yes, well, I was trying to lighten the mood, honestly. And stop calling me a ghost. I'm not dead."

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"I happen to be positive at that fact." Cye says with this nose-in-the-air kind of look.

"Only fools are positive." I say.

Cye smirks. "Are you sure?"

Distracted by the 'possibly haunted' comment I made, I reply. "I'm pos-hey!"

Something rustles in the trees.

"AAAAAA!" I run behind the demon horse.

A deer runs out, and across the street.

Cye laughs and falls on the ground doing so. The demon horse whinnies, and paws the ground.

"Oh shut up, both of you!" I'm panting and embarrassed, and watch the last of my dignity flit off into the universe.

"Emma." Cye suddenly looks seriously scared.

"Oh don't. I'm through being-!" I choke on my sentence, and am suddenly being pulled into the surrounding trees by something around my neck.

The demon horse runs after me, barely able to keep up. I don't see ghost-Cye, but he couldn't do anything anyhow. When I come to a painful stop, I don't have to look far to see him. Scary Dude. He's standing over me with that one-eyed 'I'm gonna kill you' look.

The demon horse leaps over me, but Scary-Dude swings his sickle-poles, and the horse screams and falls to the ground. I'm trying to scream for the demon horse, but it's no good; the threading around my neck tightens, and I'm being dragged again.

I think the only reason I haven't passed out just yet is out of pure stubbornness. But the last thing I see before my brain really gives up is Scary-Dude's face. He doesn't say anything; I mean, he's the bad guy, why would he? Damn. I haven't found Rowen yet...oh well, guess I'll just haunt him.

I wake for mere seconds at a time, but the pain is so severe, I can't even hold my eyes open. Whoever this Scary-Dude thinks he is, he has no restraint whatsoever just because I'm a woman. I can hear the screams of the demon horse; poor thing. I've never been one for just putting an animal out of its misery, but today I would. I blackout, but there's nothing - no nightmares, no memories of happier times, just the seemingly instantaneous regain of consciousness, and more pain. I actually wish Scary-Dude would kill me already. I have no idea what he's waiting for - probably a scream, or something. For all I know, I HAVE been screaming, but I can't recall. My neck hurts. I can't breathe.

OH MY GGD, I'M DEAD! I was just KIDDING! I don't REALLY want to be DEAD! I wanna LIVE! I wanna see Rowen again, and watch Godzilla movies form the 1950s, and get to know Cye! And see Sage's big house in Miyagi! I WANT to LIVE, DAMMIT!

A flash of light comes with one of my awakenings. It's all blurry...there's a figure, but I can't make him out. I'm blinking in and out of consciousness again. I'm being dragged. The demon horse is limping.

There's a man chanting. I smell incense. Something heavy is moving beside me, I feel warm, and then...black...again.

I don't like this whole blacking out thing, so when my eyes are opening again, and stay open for more than a couple seconds, I feel a bit better, but the scenery doesn't match up. I'm in some kind of house; all wood planks, and small. I look around, and see a couple traditional sliding walls. Lying at my head is the demon horse. I want to cry out that I'm glad it's alive; I thought it was dead! Nothing but pain is in my throat, and this really awful gurgling sound, like a dying raccoon, or squirrel, or something.

Geezus, was that ME?

The demon horse dips its head down and chews on my bangs.

Thanks, buddy, I missed you too. Maybe that's what I'll name him - buddy, or bud or something else stupid but cute like that.

"You're awake. This is good." He walks into the room wearing a wide, woven, hat, and a monk's getup. He has this long, golden staff, too, and it jingles as he walks toward me. He touches the demon horse's head. "You have a loyal steed, Emma. He would not leave you, even at great cost to his own body."

My throat catches, and a tear falls down my cheek.

"Cry not, child. His wounds are few, and healing. Yours, however, will take time." He sits, laying the golden staff ever-so carefully on the floor in front of him. "I am called "ancient"."

That's dumb. I can still frown.

"I have been watching you, Emma, and I have seen you are a brave soul with the will to fight; the Ronin Warriors will be in great need of strength when they are at their weakest."

OKaaaay. Creepy that he's been "watching" me, and...WHAT? This doesn't make any frickin' sense! At their weakest? WHAT?

"Fret not, child, for your friends are safe." Ancient says. I'm finding this reeeally hard to believe right now. Last I checked, I'm just a girl, stuck in an apocalypse, and seeing ghosts.

"They are not ghosts, Emma. They are the souls of the slumbering Ronins, reaching out their consciousness." Yeah, right...wait. I shift my gaze to him. Are you reading my mind?

"Your aura speaks for you, child, until your voice is ready to be heard." Ancient says.

So, yeah, he's reading my mind. Fuck. Can't even have private thoughts around here!

"Rest now. Your wounds are great. I will watch over the Ronin Warriors, and when you are well, you will join them."

Fuck that, I'm ready now, and - Ah! No, nope, my back doesn't work, and I can't sit up. No! Nope, my legs don't work. Oh no, I'M PARALYZED!

"Do not panic, child, your body is merely in unrest. Please, be at peace, and try to relax. You must heal if you are to rejoin the Ronins in their fight."

Oh fine. Just fine. I really feel like I've had enough sleep to last me a lifetime, but my brain is okay with it. I don't feel like I'm losing my mind anymore, and the demon horse is okay, so...I guess I can sleep. Shame, being stuck here...I was really looking forward to seeing Cye again.


	7. Splitting The Stone

Because I felt like it.

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN RONIN WARRIORS! IF I DID, I WOULD NOT BE WRITING FANFICTION!

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><p>Chapter 7<p>

Splitting the Stone

I can't sleep. I've been laying here, staring at the ceiling for who-knows-how-long, counting the planks of wood, pretending I have telekinetic powers, and can melt the candles (actually they're all lit, and burning, so...yeah), and squinting in the candlelight, trying to see if there are nail attachment points in the boards above me. I've been here so long, my boredom's boredom is bored.

"You are restless; not a good state of mind for healing." His back has been to me since I woke up again. Okay, so I slept a LITTLE. "I have healed you further, but now I must rest."

Sit up? Sit uuuup? YES! I manage, but holy SHIT my back HURTS. I feel like I have a bunch of stitches in my back, and really I wouldn't be surprised if I do.

The demon horse nudges me.

"Ah-! Ah-!" Is all that comes out, when I really want to say 'owwww!'.

The demon horse gets the message anyway, and sits back watching me, with the occasional worried mewl.

Move a leg a bit. Owww. Move the other leg a bit. Owww. Now, getting up. I turn, and lift an arm. Ahhhh~ pain. I manage to wiggle my fingers at the horse, and he comes over. I grab his reins, and pull his head down more. This horse is a powerhouse; he just LIFTS ME like I'm tissue paper, and soon I'm kind of standing, but not really, and just kind of hanging a bit, and OH MY GOD, THIS HURTS. SO BAD.

Ancient comes over, and holds out his golden staff. "Lean on the power of the staff, child, until your footing is sure and strong."

I reach out with one hand, and grab the staff. I'm shaky, but it feels kind of...electric...and healing, maybe...or all in my head. Either way, I feel a tad better than when I was grappling to the demon horse's bridle.

"Your friend, Sage of Halo, has reached Mount Dojo; resting place of Kento of Hardrock."

Hardrock...cafe? Neat. I turn and look around for a mirror; I've never been one for admiring myself, but I'm morbidly curious as to what I look like after...whatever Scary-Dude did.

Wait...did he say SAGE...as in, Sage ALONE? I turn, and hope Ancient is getting the message-vibes.

"No." Ancient says. "Sage of Halo is not alone. He is accompanied by the woman, Mia Koji."

Oh great. The bitch left me behind, I feel I was TORTURED by Scary-Dude, and now she's the ONLY person (thing) with Sage on a mountain somewhere? What about Ryo? What about the sea they were going to, to find Cye?

"Cye of Torrent has been revived by Ryo of wildfire." Ancient says this like I don't need any more info than that.

I sulk though. I wonder if they're even looking for me?

"No, neither Ronin or the boy know you are here, but worry not, child, your paths will cross again."

Boy...? Ohhh! Yuli! I sigh. Poor Yuli, I hope he's having more luck than I am with this whole Apocalypse-thing.

I glance to the door. I can make it. I'm doing that steppop thing again, with an added little move because my legs feel like they're made of pins, so really I'm 'steppopity'. I look back at the Ancient, but he looks totally zoned out, and he's talking to himself.

"Sage of Halo, listen to me carefully. In the stone called 'The Throne of the Gods,' Keno of Hardrock is in need of your help, but the rock won't be broken by force alone. Sage of Halo, now's the time to realize the full power of your armor. The 'Thunderbolt Cut' but, to acquire it, you must achieve the concentration of both mind

and body. You must believe the power is inside you now, you must battle demons within before battling the ones outside."

Could he be crazy? I 'steppopity' myself out to a wooden walkway. The demon horse is close by. I know he's worried, and it's nice to have a concerned friend here. I mean, the Ancient was obviously concerned. HE stopped Scary-Dude, and really, I should know better than to wander alone now, but the fresh air feels really good, and kinda warm. It's still summer, after all. It only takes a few steps, and leaning on the staff starts to hurt my back.

Maybe that's a good sign. I test my own weight. I do okay, barely leaning on the staff as I round the corner. Straightening up even more, I find it easier to stand.

Huh. Rosali was right; walking DOES make it better. Damn. Now I won't be able to argue that since I've experienced it first hand.

Still have to steppopity, but at least I got a bit farther. I'm tired, so I sit down.

The demon horse leans its head into a room behind me. I turn to ask what it's looking at, but all that comes out is. "Ah-...Ah-..." Damn. The not-being-able-to-talk-thing is really getting old. I can see behind me is a room full of steadily burning candles. "Ooh." Well, at least THAT came out right.

"You have made it this far. Your spirit is strong; you will be right again." Ancient says, suddenly standing next to me, and kinda scaring the BEJEEZUS outta me. He grasps the staff, and I release it. "Be at peace here, Emma. Your friends will be joining you soon." He touches my head, and mumbles some words that don't sound like Japanese or English, or any other language I've ever heard. He bows when he's finished, and walks off; staff jingling.

"Man, what a weird dude." Says a guy sitting next to me. I turn, and look at him. He's wearing a yellow t-shirt and tight jeans, and a yellow band around his head.

Must be Kento. It's sure as hell not Cye, or Rowen, or Sage, or Ryo.

"Yup. Sure am, cutie, and you are?" HE grins.

Oh great, another mind-reader. I slump.

"Hey, I ain't no mind reader, but...hey how'd you say that without moving your lips? Pretty as they are." He winks.

Didn't SAY anything, dopus. I can't talk.

"Sure. Man, lookin' at ya, somebody really did a number on ya. Tell me who they are, I'll give 'em a poundin'! I don't like people who hurt pretty girls!" HE punches one fist into his other palm.

Take a number; I know there's at least one other guy who's got it in for Scary-Dude, and hasn't even seen me yet. My name is Emma.

Kento looks confused. It's a super-cute face on him. "Another...what? Aw man, you got a boyfriend or somethin'? He pouts.

I shrug and shake my head, and manage to smile.

Kento beams. "Allright!" HE pumps a fist in the air. "I got a number, and it's Number ONE!"

Whatever floats your boat.

Kento goes to clap me on the back, and I am SO GLAD his hand goes right through me.

"Whoa, NOT COOL, man! Hey, am I dead or something?"

No. You're...reaching out. Sage must be close to finding you.

"Sage? Ohh, yeah. Y'know, I kinda felt like someone was around a second ago. Is that Sage?"

Probably. Ancient said Sage was going into the mountains to find the Throne of the Gods, and Kento of Hardrock."

"That's my name, babe, don't wear it out." He grins.

Well, just don't forget to beat up Scary-Dude when you get out.

"Great! What's a Scary-Dude?" Kento grins.

I shrug. I don't know his real name, now that I think about it, or if he even HAS a name. He's some kind of demon, so for all I know, he's just nameless, and faceless, and...well, SCARY.

Kento nods, but his face says 'I have NO idea what you're talking about.'

"Well, I guess I gotta split, pretty girl. You take it easy. I'll get the bad guy." Kento winks. HE leans over, lips puckered, and almost kisses my cheek (or would if he weren't, y'know, intangible), but disappears right before he does.

Can I say I'm relieved? Of course, but I'm also getting reeeally tired of this 'seeing ghost consciousness' thing. I assume Kento disappeared because he's been revived. My thoughts wander to Sage; I assume Kento revived means Mia didn't get him killed. Cye; his ghost thing was there when I was attacked, but I don't want him to blame himself.

Rowen; What can I say about Rowen? Plenty, but all I want is to just FIND him, to know he's okay. I feel like I kinda laid into him too hard on that rooftop. Whether or not I KNEW he was going to be transported away by a random, evil, tornado is irrelevant; he's my friend, and I should have been nicer.

Kento seems cool. Really, I just want to know that everyone is all right, alive, healthy, ten fingers, ten toes, a head on their shoulders, or some kind of sign if they can't be here themselves.

I hate feeling this helpless...and hungry.


	8. Friend Or Foe

KAPLA! Unless you don't speak Klingon. Then it would be, SUCCESS! I just have to post from my iPad.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ronin Warriors. if I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

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><p>Chapter 8<p>

Friend or Foe

A little food, some more sitting around, a pitiful game of fetch with demon horse that HE seems to appreciate, but I have to stop after just a couple tosses, because my arms still hurt. Stupid Scary-Dude...

I munch on an energy bar myself, watching the beautiful garden around me. I really love it here, and I bet this was a great tourist destination, but I imagine the people are gone now. I wonder...if the Ronin Warriors defeat the dynasty, will people come back? Or will this place just become a perpetual, if not incredibly beautiful, ghost town?

At least I have a helluva view; can't see street level, but without pedestrian traffic, at least, I don't imagine there will be much to see. It's getting just a bit easier to walk, and I go into the room with all the candles, and sit by the wall. It's so comforting in here, but without someone to tend them, I wonder how they've stayed burning so long.

The demon horse clops over, holding the collar of my coat in his teeth, and leans it out to me.

I open my mouth and try to speak, but all that comes out is "Ah...ah..." I take the coat and slide it on. I've been wearing this white robe since I woke up, and of course that means that Ancient guy put his hands all over me, but he was trying to help, and I feel healed a bit, and rested; not something I've felt since this whole apocalypse thing happened.

The demon horse's ears perk, but not in a 'holy shit!' kind of way, but a 'ooh, something to listen to?' kind of way.

I nod and pet his nose. The demon horse walks away, but I can hear his clip-clop hoof falls for a while. I'm feeling sort of sleepy and start to doze off when the demon horse suddenly makes this loud growling kind of sound, and a ruckus, and starts stomping around.

What the hell? I don't like being THIS tired, THIS alone, and THUS injured, but now I have to deal with all that AND something is making this horse FREAK OUT? I already almost died this week...

"Hang on, slow down! Where's Emma?" It's Cye, but as much as I wanted to see him, now I'm not so sure. It's a toss-up; Do I stay with the Ronins, like the Ancient suggested, or do I stay here, heal, and try to go it alone? Then again, the last time I was alone, I got beat to hell by Scary-Dude.

The demon horse stops outside the room with all the candles, where I'm sitting.

"In here?" Cye steps in, and I gasp. It's a little, sort of choking sound. Cye turns, and that look on his face answers my wondering if he saw me being tortured. "Emma..."

No. I'm safer with them; I want to be with people. It's still better than being alone, even with a demon horse.

Cye kneels down and touches my face. "Oh god, what happened?" His voice catches.

Nevermind, I don't want a mirror anymore.

"Hey Cye! Where'd ya go, man?" Ryo runs up.

"Cyyye!" Yuli calls.

"Who did this to you?" Cye's face gets all intense, like Kento's did. His hand is hovering at about shoulder height, like he's afraid to touch me.

I reach out and grasp his hand in both of mine.

You're real; I want to say to him. You're here, but I can only smile.

Cye lifts his hand to sandwich mine. "That's right. I'm here now, and you're alive, so whoever he is, he'll get his."

"Dude..." Ryo kneels in the doorway, looking over me with this guilty stare. "You look like hell."

I nod.

"Hey, are you okay, Emma? Did someone hurt you?" Yuli sits down next to me, kind of pushing his way between Ryo and Cye. He touches something on my face then lets his hand down, "Does it hurt?"

I tilt my head a smidge, shrug a smidge, and shake my head a smidge. It's a lie, but I WILL be all right eventually. Cye turns, and looks behind him. "So what's the deal with all these candles?" I'm relieved he changed the subject so fast.

Yuli's all too excited to play tour guide. He stands up and stands with his back to them, and his hands behind his back. "The candles are supposed to be an offering to the gods." He gestures behind him. Then with a smug look, says. "I've heard they NEVER go out."

Cye and Ryo look.

I tap Cye's arm.

"Hmm? Something on your mind, love?" Cye places hand on my knee.

I point to myself.

"You?" Cye smiles.

I settle my hands to the ground palm-down.

"Down? Ohh! Sat down. You sat down, yes?" Cye chuckles a bit.

"Charades. Sweet." Ryo says.

I point at myself then toward the demon horse.

"You and the horse?" Cye tilts his head.

I nod.

"You sat down, you and the horse...what?" Ryo shrugs.

"You and the horse..." Cye rubs his chin. "Oh! It was just you and the horse? When you sat down here?"

I nod then point to the candles.

"And the candles were lit, you say?" Cye looks over his shoulder at Yuli.

I nod at Yuli.

Yuli's jaw drops. "What, really? I don't believe it, it's TRUE!"

Cye and Ryo laugh. I kind of wheeze.

"Emma, what was that?" Cye's worrying again,

I shake my head, and take his hand to pat it.

"She's playing charades, dude. Obvious, isn't it? She can't talk." Ryo sounds flippant, but he slumps on his haunches in a 'sorry' kind of way, and averts his gaze from me.

Cye focuses on my neck. He touches it, and I realize there are bandages there. Sad recognition is in his eyes.

"Hey Yule, we're gonna walk around. You gonna hang here?"

Ryo stands up.

"Yeah." Yuli's sitting near the candles.

Cye helps me to my feet. It's a bit easier this time, but I stumble a bit. "I've got you but, Emma, where are your shoes.?" He looks me over. "And your clothes?"

I crane my neck around him, and point.

Cye shakes his head, rolls his eyes, and lifts me bride-style into his arms. "This is ridiculous."

"Woah-kay then, you guys go do that. I'm just gonna stand here." Ryo stays behind.

"Oh bugger off then!" Cye shouts back.

I shrug at Ryo as I'm carried away. Cye has NOTHING to be mad at EITHER of us for. No…not mad, I remind myself. Guilty. He was right there, as one of those projections the ancient mentioned, and could do nothing to help me.

"Where? Here?" Cye pauses by the first open door.

I nod, and wriggle for him to let me down.

"Alright, don't get in a snit." Cye lets me gently to my feet.

My clothes are stacked a bit sideways, no doubt the demon horse nosed through them to find my coat, and my boots are sitting undisturbed next to them. I take off the coat, and start to undo the belt of the robe, but turn, and give Cye a frown.

"What?" Cye starts.

I point down, and make little circle gestures with just one finger.

"Oh. Of course." Cye turns, and I face his back just to make sure he's not peaking. He doesn't. Makes him kind of a gentleman.

Fully dressed, I pull my coat on, and start to feel as normal as I get around here. I don't limp as hard wearing these boots either; the fleece lining really support my hurt legs. I give Cye a little tap as I try to walk past him.

Cye gives me space, but watches me intently. I give him a little shrug as if to say 'no sweat', but he just sighs.

"Emma, you WEREN'T the only here, were you?" Cye asks.

I shrug one shoulder.

"Don't give me that. Someone stopped what could have been a fatal attack." Cye touches my face with his gauntleted hand. "Your face wounds alone give away the ferocity of your attacker."

I lower my head away from his hand, and move to the side.

"Did someone save you, Emma?" Cye asks.

I nod. Of course SOMEONE saved me; it just wasn't YOU. I shouldn't think that, and I'm really glad I can't talk right now, because I should say it even LESS.

"Don't suppose you can tell me?" Cye asks.

I give him my best 'are you kidding me with that?' face.

Cye holds up his hands in surrender. "Fair point."

I pull my jacket around me and button the tops few buttons.

We start walking.

"In good news, we only have Rowen to find." Cye says. "He's your friend, right?"

I look at Cye, smile, and take his hand to say 'so are you.'.

Cye nods. "Yes, I understand, we're friends too, but Rowen; you've known him a bit, yeah?"

I nod and sigh hoarsely - more or less just wheezed.

"Yeah." Cye bites his lip. "But the poem, the one Mia has on her computer, it doesn't make much sense."

WE pass by the candle room; the demon horse is still standing there, watching Yuli, who's standing now.

Ryo moves from the railing. "You okay now, Emma?"

I shrug. "Well, dressed anyway." Ryo waves a hand and walks with White Blaze.

"Fine, I think." Cye says. "We were discussing Mia's poem."

Ryo turns, and walks backwards. "Yeah, weird, right? Rowen seems like a complicated guy, y'know, but, Mia's poem is like a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle."

A squeak comes through my nose as I chuckle through it.

"And Cye thinks we should just forget Rowen and go after Talpa now." Ryo gives Cye this Cheshire-cat grin.

"Hey!" Cye snaps.

I slip my hand from Cye's, into my pocket, and walk ahead of him next to White Blaze. White Blaze rubs my thigh as we walk.

"See? White Blaze wants to find Rowen." Ryo teases.

"Alright, I give. We need all five armors, as you so eloquently put it." Cye grumps.

"Don't be hatin'. See? I wanna find Rowen, too." Ryo says. "Did Cye tell you the poem?"

I shake my head.

"Why don't YOU tell her?" Cye seems less slouchy as he catches us up.

Ryo shrugs. "You're better at it."

"You've forgotten it, haven't you?" Cye smirks as we stop at the gate to the temple.

I hadn't gotten a good look at the temple before. It's really gorgeous; just like I would expect a Japanese Shinto temple to look.

"Nahhh - you just..." Ryo shrugs and scratches the back of his head.

"Uh huh." Cye snorts.

I turn and look at the pair, but really want to sit, so I slowly get down onto a shallow step under the gate, and sigh.

"Floating among the eyes of the ages, unmoored in the stream of the sky." Cye says as he leans against the pillar nearest me. "And I would never leave Rowen wherever he is." Cye says, looking at me.

I nod. It's really starting to suck, y'know, not being able to talk. Well, I SHOULD say, it huts like hell to talk, and I just kind of wheeze pathetically, so it's really not worth the effort.

"Y'know," Ryo's sitting on the same step I am, leaning back against the opposite pillar, hands folded behind his head. "I have his feeling Rowen is somewhere close by us, right now." He's getting this weird, nostalgic look on his face, eyes looking up at the dusk-lit sky.

Cye snorts. "Where? Inside the walls of this temple maybe?" Cye looks at me.

I shake my head, and smile, and look at Ryo.

Ryo shrugs, and looks at me. "Rowen inside the temple of security - now THAT would suit him."

"What do you think, love?" Cye nudges the toe of my boot with his. "You know Rowen better than the two of US put together. Rowen in this temple?"

I squeak as I chuckle again, and shake my head.

"There, the girl sys no." Cye says haughtily.

Ryo leans forward. "Well, did you know the girl also says you have a fat head and are only good for opening doors?"

Did NOT.

Cye scoffs and looks at me. "Did you now?"

Well, he DID say he wanted to leave Rowen behind. I nod just to throw him off the scent.

Cye gives me this comic frown that says he doesn't believe.

"Bye the way, Emma, what happened to your hair? Didn't it used to be, like, WAY longer?" Ryo ask.

I touch my hair with one hand. Not like I can answer.

Then the last sound any of us wanted to hear rings out. Yuli is screaming.

"Yuli!?" Ryo jumps up and runs toward the temple.

Cye helps me to my feet.

White Blaze stalks near Cye and I, and roars at the temple.

The roof is caving in, a hole forms, and then...Scary-Dude. He comes bursting out of the roof.

I grab Cye's arm, and point at him.

"I see it." Cye moves to protect me.

I point at Scary-Dude, and then my face.

"What?" Cye gasps. "Dais did this?"

Dais. Now I know YOUR name, you sunuvabitch.

The demon horse comes ripping around the corner, and into the courtyard. It stands between me and the temple, growling and pawing at the ground.

"Stay with her!" Cye runs to join Ryo.

"Help! Ryo! HELP!" Yuli. Poor Yuli; please god, let no bad happen to him. He's just a child.

"YUULII!" Ryo shouts.

Scary-Dude - no - DAIS chuckles; the nerve of that bastard, he has NOTHING to laugh about.

"The dark warlord of illusion." I hear Ryo say.

Say what now? Illusion? Oh great, all this time, and he's some kind of evil MAGICIAN? Fuck. First a guy who melts buildings, now a guy who can, what? Do evil magic tricks? Fuck.

"You're Dais, aren't you?" Cye shouts.

He's not SURE? Then why the hell did he tell ME that, like, ten-frickin'-seconds ago? For cryin' out loud, Cye.

"Very perceptive. Shall we play a game of SKILL?" Dais throws this thing that looks like a purple handle from something. What did he throw, like, a ROLLING PIN at Ryo and Cye, just so they can expertly dodge it? I shouldn't say that; I don't doubt his ability to hurt, but I don't have magic armor. I KNOW Cye and Ryo will fair a thousand-times better than I did. Ryo manages to keep dodging, but this stick thing expands to a two-sided, swinging mace.

"You! HORSE! Get Emma out of her, NOW!" Cye shouts and waves an arm.

The demon horse is loaded to go, and is nudging me urgently.

I glance at Cye. I don't want to leave; what if I never see them again?

"GO!" Cye narrowly dodges the swinging weapon.

I'm distracting them. I climb on the demon horse, and he takes off running away from the temple. We go down a dirt road, I can still hear shouts, crashing, and pray they're doing all right. Have faith, I tell myself. Faith in them, faith in their armor. I look back toward the temple, and gasp. There's a...WEB - a GIANT WEB attached to trees around where the horse and I just came from.

Go back. I pull the horse's reins. Go BACK.

The horse keeps running.

Ryo...Cye...Yuli...White Blaze. It hurts to cry, and I look back.

The web is gone. I wheeze out a laugh; they defeated him! That MUST be what that means.

But a red jeep almost runs us over.

The demon horse rears to avoid it, hitting the hood with his massive hooves. The jeep slams on its squeaky breaks, and Kento jumps out.

"DEMON! You WON'T take her!" He rushes the horse.

I'm shaking my head so fast it hurts.

Sage jumps out of the car. "Kento, NO! That's EMMA'S horse!"

Kento punches the horse, the horse kicks him, Kento goes flying.

I stare open-mouthed then lean to look at the horse, like, REALLY?

The demon horse looks around, and I swear is squinting guiltily.

Kento pulls himself up, and is STANDING. Well, shit. What's he made of, rock? Seriously. "Weeell, think you can get me down with a HOOF?" HE balls one fist into the other.

Sage moves between the demon horse and Kento. "Kento!"

"Stop, Kento, Emma isn't being kidnapped. That horse, although a demon, is her friend. IT is PRO-TEC-TING her!" Mia shouts.

Kento pauses with this adorably dumb look on his face. "Say what?"

I nod.

Sage turns to look at me. "Emma? What-What happened to you?" He moves to the side of the demon horse, and grabs my ankle.

How do you pantomime "Dais" ?

"Emma?" Sage gasps.

I touch my throat.

"Something's wrong with your throat?" Sage asks.

I grasp my throat.

"Something choked you." Sage frowns. "You can't speak, can you?"

I shake my head.

Sage gets this frustrated look on his face.

"Aww yeah, I get to bust some heads in now " Kento cracks his knuckles. "Just point me in the right direction, pretty girl."

With a flat, unforgiving expression, I point in the direction of the temple. Kento takes off like a shot.

"Kento, hey!" Sage calls after him.

The demon horse starts up the path toward the temple.

"Can I get a lift?" Sage climbs on, and the demon horse runs faster, the jeep on our heels. We catch up to Kento, and Sage jumps off.

Kento is knelt on the ground in front of Yuli, listening. The boy looks absolutely FRANTIC. Ryo and Cye are nowhere around.

Now I'm feeling frantic.

"That warlord says he's got Rowen trapped in the city of Sendai!" Yuli looks to be on the verge of tears.

Rowen? In Sendai? I could get there in the demon horse, but...that warlord...that Dais.

"It's okay, kid, just take a breath." Kento pats Yuli's shoulder.

"Dais FOUND him?!" Mia looks to be in such a state a shock; I'd be surprised if she said anything else for a while.

Yuli recovers quickly, and nods. "Mm-hmm." He nods. "That's what he said." He's still rattled visibly, but who wouldn't be?

If I could talk, I wouldn't be talking out of sheer terror for Rowen's life, and me in such a state that I won't be of much use anyway.

"That's what they said; Dais has Rowen in Sendai."

"Then they went to the city of Sendai?" Mia asks. I can't blame her asking such an obvious question; shock tends to leave things out of the brain.

I glance down, and see Sage is looking up at me. He mouths: 'Are you okay?'.

I shake my head just enough to be noticeable.

Sage sighs, and his gaze lifts just a little, and something makes him squint and frown, like 'what the fuck is that?'.

I try to turn to see, but it hurts my neck. "Nn..." Is all that comes out.

"Well then!" Kento shouts. "What are you waitin' for?"

Sage turns, distracted, but determined. "Yeah, let's jam!"

The demon horse steps back.

"Emma, you're coming with us." Sage says.

I shake my head slightly in protest.

"No arguments; I'm NOT leaving you behind again!"

I sigh helplessly.

"You're safer WITH us." Sage says finitely.

"Don't sweat it, pretty girl, we'll beat that guy, and you won't have to worry about anything again!" Kento winks.

I give a couple tentative nods.

With that, Yuli climbs on White Blaze, and Mia runs alongside to the jeep.

Sage is tense, and the demon horse just follows right along with him. I trust the demon horse more than ever now. I can barely recall him dragging me away from the warlord, before the Ancient found me, I guess.

There are slash marks on the trees, and a general feeling of doom in the air. God, I hope we're not too late.

Please, please, let no bad happen to Rowen.

As soon as Mia's jeep takes off, the demon horse goes ludicrous speed. I lean into the wind, and keep praying nothing bad will happen.

I'm uncomfortable being here first this time; I have no idea how far back the jeep is, or White Blaze, and the last time I was alone, I got beat to hell by this guy.

I do wanna know what Dais's beef is with me, but not enough to go toe-to-toe with him AGAIN.

The demon horse creeps through the trees, head down. Bad horse, go back. Wait at the street. I tug the reins, but the demon horse just shakes its head, and creeps forward. We reach a ridge, and see Cye and Ryo...fighting each other?

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!"

"FLAARE UUUP NOOOOW!

Ohhh shit.

The demon horse turns and runs down the path to the street.

I can feel the after-wave of the moves on our heels.

See? When left alone, I get blown to hell, except we manage to stay just ahead of whatever damage those kill-shots are doing to the landscape. When the rumbling stops, the demon horse and I look at each other, like, what the fuck was that?

Then it his me; Ryo and Cye were down there! They attacked each other! CYE! The demon horse feels it too, and heads back up the hill. It's not hard for the demon horse to get down where Ryo and Cye are now laying.

I go straight to Cye, and wish I could call out to him, wake him somehow. I get down next to him; his head is turned to the side. His eyes are barely open, and his breath is shallow.

Don't die, okay? I hope my face says.

The barest hint of a smile pulls the right corner of Cye's mouth.

I smile back, and try to say hi, but all that comes out is,

"Ah...Ah..." And my throat hurts.

Cye's eyes close.

"RYO! CYE! WE'RE ON OUR WAY!" Yuli calls out.

I'm relieved they're close by. I have this horrible feeling that this is going to be lose-lose kind of day.

Mia runs up and immediately examines Cye. "Sage, they're hurt."

I reeeally want to SLAP her. No, seriously, OF COURSE they're hurt! Why else would they be laying on the ground like this? Is it NAP time?

"What's the matter with them, Mia? Why won't they get up?" I kind of feel sorry for Yuli, but I just KNOW something bad is going to happen.

"Do you think if we can get Cye to the water, he'll heal?" Mia's actually ASKING me. And here I thought he knew EVERYTHING about the Ronin Warriors; enough to leave me behind, at least.

The demon horse noses my back, as if to encourage me to answer her.

I nod.

Mi gently lays Cye down then runs to her car.

I sit up and give the demon horse a twisted frown. The demon horse shakes its head and knickers.

I know. Being silently men to Mia is like drinking poison and expecting HER to die.

"Emma, stay with Mia and Yuli; we'll go find Dais." Sage says as he runs after Kento.

Sure, why not? Let's all bully the SILENT girl. That's it; I don't care what happens anymore. I stand up, straining a bit, and climb on the demon horse's back.

"Emma, can you find fresh water for these canteens?" Mia holds up three canteens.

If it'll get me away from YOU, you deserting bitch.

The demon horse stomps a foot a couple times.

I plaster on a smile, and pretend I'm politely nodding. I accept the canteens, and plan to head down to the temple.

"Please hurry back. Ryo needs help." Mia says.

I urge the demon horse away; I assume she didn't mention Cye because she thinks she has a plan.

The temple is peaceful, at least. I sit near the well, canteens empty, thinking maybe I should just go back to the city and try my luck there.

The demon horse leans its head down and whimpers at me, it ears sagging.

It just feels bad. Mia KNEW I was there, but she just DROVE OFF. Now Sage is giving me orders, Cye and Ryo are hurt...what am I saying, I'M hurt - if it hadn't been for the demon horse and "Ancient", I'd be DEAD.

Ancient said something about the Ronins needing me at their weakest. What could be weaker than unconscious? That settles it. I'll go back, work on getting my voice back, and getting better. I'll be confronting Mia for sure, but first...Rowen.


	9. Wildfire In The Sky

Chapter 9

Wildfire In The Sky

When I get to the campsite, it's dark, a bit cold, and everyone's awake and sitting around a campfire.

"Look, there she is!" Yuli shouts out around mouth full of something.

"Whoa, Yuli, say it, don't SPRAY it." Ryo laughs.

"You scared me to DEATH! I SAID, hurry back!" Mia stands up like she has something to be upset about.

"It's alright, Mia, she's back now." Cye stands, trying to calm Mia. "Finish your soup, I'll talk to her." Cye walks over.

So help me god, if he lectures me...I have a demon horse and a crossbow, and VERY good aim.

Cye stands right up against the demon horse's saddle before he talks. "Alright then?" He asks.

I shake my head.

"Were you attacked again?" Cye looks worried.

I smile just enough to assure him and shake my head again.

Cye leans further against the saddle. "Are you in pain, Emma?"

Psychological, Emotional, Physical...I nod a bit.

Kento jogs over.

Cye's voice is barely above a whisper and he's basically mouthing. "Is it Kento?"

I smile and shake my head.

"Hey pretty girl." Kento points at himself with both thumbs. "I got 'im."

I know my eyes are wider. I'm in such a state of shock, I almost can't believe what Kento's saying. I scramble down from the demon horse. Kento freezes up when I hug him.

"Uhh...Cye, dude? What's happening?" I hear the Englishman sigh. "The demon Dais beat Emma within an inch of her life." So he DID see...

"What?!" Sage and Ryo stand up.

"Wait, but, she's standin' right here." Kento says.

"That's because someone saved her, and had gone, by the time Ryo and I found Emma at the temple." Cye explained.

"Wait a sec, if the pretty girl can't talk then how'd she tell you what happened?" Kento. I can see he'll be a friend.

"Well, she made an utterly terrified face and pointed at Dais when he appeared at the temple." Cye says.

"Oh..." One of Kento's arms kind of hesitates. I'm still hugging him. "So...why's she still hugging me?"

Cye chuckles. "Well, she can't speak, so how else is she supposed to thank you?"

Having conveyed that, I step away from Kento. He's blushing. It's kinda cute.

"This happened because we left you, didn't it?" Sage frowns.

Ryo suddenly super guilty. "Dude..."

I smile and shake my head. I blame Mia, guys, don't sweat it. She had control and was driving.

"Oh!" Cye claps his hands once. "Sorry, but I raided your backpack for food, and found dehydrated soup." Cye winces.

I take the canteens off the saddlehorn, smiling, and give Cye's arm a pat as I pass him.

"Hey wait! Lemme get that." Kento takes the canteens and walks them down to the campfire with me.

"You're pretty popular." Mia snarks.

I don't even want to acknowledge it. I walk past the campfire, step over White Blaze's tail, and head down toward the water. It's pretty here, in the moonlight, the dark water wishy-washing its way along the solid beach. I'm not very good company right now. As resolved as I am to help the Ronins, I feel like I'm just kidding myself. I'm injured, I can't talk, and I can barely pantomime what I'm feeling.

"You're doing all right." Sage says, behind me.

I turn to look at him; please not someone else who can read my mind, or aura, or whatever.

"Besides the getting beat up part, but I'll take some of the blame for that." Sage sits down next to me. "I told Mia to turn around."

I snort. Well good, at least THAT'S working.

"Really, I did, but Mia was the one driving - oh forget it."

Sage stands up, turns, and takes a step to walk away. He's got these nifty handles on his heels. Will it trip him if I do THAT? I do it. I grab the handle on his heel, but he doesn't fall flat on his face, he just stops a step, and looks at me.

How do I apologize, thank him, and indicate he can sit down, all in one look, before he walks away?

I close my eyes, bow my head, and lift it again.

Sage stares at me, turns, and sits back down next to me. He looks like he wants to say something, but is visibly hesitating.

I look down at the sand, and dig out a rock. Between us, I write in the sand: How are you?

Sage watches me write it then nods. "I'm alright."

I rise my eyebrows, and hope my face conveys something like 'are you sure?'.

Sage just looks out at the water. I do the same, and a minute later, Sage asks, with some amount of embarrassment. "Did I upset you at some point?"

Only when you gave me orders to stay with Mia. I frown, but for the most part no. I shake my head.

Sage kind of squints and quirks his mouth up. "Nah, I don't buy it. Something's bugging you, and it's not just Mia."

I stare back at him, briefly enraptured by his mystic-blue gaze. I shake my head, shaking loose the captive feeling from his stare, and tap my throat.

Sage is quiet for a moment then says. "I remember the cave."

I turn and look at him, actually sort of surprised.

"What you said, about your step-mother being evil; I'm sorry you have to put up with that." Sage sounds awkward saying that, but I wish I could tell him that I appreciate the attempted sentiment.

"Hey you two!" Ryo calls out. "Make out later! Get up here!"

Mia's scolding him about something and shushing him.

Doesn't really matter. Moment's gone, Sage is embarrassed and storming up the hill, and I'm a bit annoyed, too.

I get up, and walk up the hill. The demon horse is standing next to the jeep, head ducked, a snort bubble inflating and deflating on its right nostril.

Sage in on the hood of the jeep, leaning his chin on his hand, and looks pouty-angry.

"Here." A metal cup holds up in front of me. It's Cye with a tin cup of soup. "I rescued the last bit from Kento."

I take the cup and sit down next to Cye. It's cold tomato bisque, but it's SOMETHING.

Silence falls around the campfire. I see Yuli sleeping against White Blaze, and niw I know why Mia was scolding him when he shouted at Sage and I.

"Well." Speaking of Ryo. "At least now we know where Rowen is."

I beg their pardon? I give Cye a look.

"Yeah, a lotta good that does us." Kento mutters, and throw a dirt clod into the fire.

Mia picks up the conversation jovially. "Unmoored in the stream of the sky; it was right there in front of our faces the whole time, wasn't it?"

Ryo's giving her this intense look that I really wish she would see, because it's THAT LOOK - the one SHE was giving HIM nit so long ago, but the boy version.

I elbow Cye.

"I see it." Cye murmurs close to me that even I can barely hear.

Ryo snaps out of it before Mia looks at him, and both Cye and I slump.

Giving Cye and I a sideways stare, Ryo carries the conversation on. "That's right. Now we know that Rowen is in space-" I'm sorry, WHAT?! "But how do we save 'im?"

With a rocket ship? I look at Cye and shrug.

Cye points up at the sky with this straight face.

I look up at the sky, tilt my head, and mouth, 'the sky?'.

Cye mouths back. 'space'.

Oh GREAT. Rowen's floating…oh, of course – the eyes of the ages. STARS. Now it seems so obvious. Rowen's in…space..IN space? I get up from the campfire, and walk over to the demon horse. I have no idea what everyone's talking about; I don't care anymore. I'm never going to see my friend ever again, unless one of the Ronin Warriors has a rocket ship hidden in his armor.

The demon horse has this snot bubble inflating and deflating as it breathes steadily; sleeping I guess. The bubble suddenly pops when I walk up, and the demon horse looks at me.

What now, Buddo? I reach up, and touch the horse's head, pulling a few strands of his mane a bit until they're straight. I glance back to the group around the campfire. They're gathering sleeping bags and looking like it's time for bed. I couldn't sleep; like I was telling Sage, I've rested enough.

I sort of have a plan – it's kind of a stupid plan – to maybe figure some stuff out on my own, and take what time I can to heal. Granted, I'd be safer with them, but I feel more like a distraction.

After they fall asleep, the demon horse and I leave. Granted, the horse's hooves clip-clop, but I don't think anyone woke up or followed us.

The city is dark, still, but quiet. I have no idea what I'm doing here, so I focus.

Need clean things. I spy a boutique, and collect some clean underwear and a bra. With the horse guarding outside, I feel a little bit safe. The quiet glow of my gas lantern helps too.

Something creaks outside the fitting room. Crap. It's not enough that there are DEMONS in the city, but now there are PERVERT demons.

Picking up the crossbow, I prepare for whomever (or what) is out there. I grab the curtain, push it aside, and aim!

"Does this color make me look fat?" Cye is holding up a purple tank top and I don't mind the hoarse cough that comes out even as I'm trying to laugh. The cough just gets worse as my lungs and voice desperately try to laugh harder.

"Steady on then." Cye kneels next to me, having discarded the tank top. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you cough." He's still chuckling a bit.

Oh, bless his heart, I wish I could tell him how much I love him for his little joke. I can only pat his worrying hands, nod, and smile.

"I was concerned." Cye offers kind of awkwardly, but in a sweet way, too.

I nod and brush invisible lint off my hoodie. I straighten up and Cye is still kinda staring at me, but pretending not to. I smile, make sure Cye sees it then grab my stuff and walk past him as Cye chuckles, scratches his head, and looks away before following after me.

"Wait, wait, Emma." Cye gently takes my arm. "What happened to your hair?"

I turn and look at what he's touching. Oh…my hair.

"Did Dais do this?" Cye's brow furrows.

I nod. I mean, it's true, but probably the only accidental thing that warlord did. I hold up my fingers in a scissor gesture.

"Scissors? Sorry, fresh out but, I saw a drug store not far from here. I bet there's SOME kind of scissors there." His gaze lowers a bit. "I'm more concerned about maybe some ointment for your neck. Does it hurt?" He pouts.

I move my neck a bit then holdup a hand, palm down, wiggling it back and forth.

Cye nods. "That's that then. We'll get you fixed up yet, love, don't worry." He tilts my chin to examine some of my scars, but he's a little closer than I would expect he needs to get. After a few seconds, he notices it too, and backs away with an embarrassed little smile.

Outside is Mia, White Blaze, and Sage. Well…I can guess what happened here. I've decided what they do is none of my business. I'm not going to go running after rogue Ronins just to make myself feel useful.

"Thank god!" Mia gasps.

Oh, I'm SO sure.

"You're okay!" Yuli grins.

THAT, I believe.

"We thought you had STUPIDLY gone with Kento and Ryo." Sage didn't have to say it like THAT.

I fold my arms, and give Sage's stupid, blonde, head a good long glare.

Sage stares back, like, 'what'd I do?'.

"Be a tad nicer, Sage." Cye whispers as he leads me down the street. "And here I thought he was warming up to you." The Englishman shrugs.

Me too. I want to say. I put a hand to my neck. At this point, I wish I could say ANYTHING – hello, I'm sorry, thank you, ANYTHING…anything…

We get to the drug store – it's deserted and dark, of course – and Cye walks me around to find scissors.

Aisle 4, by the way.

"Ah. Here we are." Cye opens a package. "I'm no hairdresser, but just straight across, you think? Get rid of those nasty, uneven bits, yeah?"

No, no, no! Not on his life! I'm NOT letting a TEENAGE BOY cut my hair! I glare, I snatch the scissors, and keep glaring as I seek out Mia. Cye's really confused, but is smiling as I walk away.

Back outside, Mia can't mistake me coming toward her. I think the scissors unnerved her a bit but, she stands still.

I hold the scissors out with a really serious 'I need you to do this, like, for serious' face.

Mia takes the scissors.

Please don't stab me. I can TOTALLY see her stabbing me.

Mia smiles.

OH GOD, SHE'S GONNA STAB ME!

"Of course. I'd be happy to help." Mia indicates for me to turn around. I do so but, I give the horse a nod.

The demon horse nods, squinting, like, 'If she stabs, I'll trample her'.

Or I'm just making shit up in my head to make myself feel better about giving Mia a sharp object.

"The rip is here." Mia's finger touches a high part of my neck. "It's completely ragged and uneven. It'll be short if I straighten out the edges."

I nod.

The first snip makes me twitch, so on, and so forth..

"Okay." Mia sighs. "It looks all right." She moves to the side.

Great. I slump, preparing for a reflective surface. What does THIS look like? I turn to the nearest window of the jeep, and MY. JAW. DROPS. Just DROPS.

"That's no so bad." Sage says.

I. Look. Like. Shirley. Temple. DAMN MY CURLY HAIR!

"Seriously, it could be worse." Sage leans closer, whispering. "You could be a boy, and your sister could've done this to you in your sleep."

I give him sad, mean, eyes.

I see Cye approaching behind me, and pause.

For the love of saints, please don't anybody start laughing. It's happened before. My dignity can't take much more of this apocalypse.

"Sorry." Mia actually looks remorseful. "Your hair is so curly – I had no idea, but it's really very pretty cute. Don't you think?"

No. No I don't. She's obviously never seen a Shirley Temple movie.

"Nice haircut." Cye says as he passes me by in the window.

I look at the demon horse. It shrugs.

I shrug back. It's not the end of the world (my hair, that is). So what? Better than LOOKING like I was attacked and narrowly escaped. Climbing onto the demon horse, I start to lead it away when the ground shakes and light flashes ahead.

"Oh no!" Mia shouts.

"Emma!" Sage calls out, but I'm already heading in the direction of the light – it's sort of pinkish in this eerie Hello-Kitty-zombie sort of way. Some blocks already traversed, the demon horse stops.

Ahead is a tall, wire-frame building – the source of the light. It's sinking into the ground, but a huge, pink, gross, brain-ball-thing is coming out of the top of the building.

The demon horse backs up a few steps making this roaring sound. The red jeep pulls up and everyone piles out.

"What's going on?" Mia gasps.

I turn, still atop the demon horse, and shake my head. It makes me nauseous to look at the energy ball; like it's just MADE out of BAD, y'know?

"Ryo…I guess they didn't make it." Sage says.

I frown in the blonde's direction. Way to keep a positive attitude, dude

The brain-ball flies up into the air, soaring higher and higher. Ewww.

There's all kinds of dust from the collapsed building – the kind of aftermath I wouldn't expect anyone to survive. Then a shadow flickers across the dust. Was it my imagination? I haven't had to shoot anything with my crossbow lately, so maybe this is my chance?

Nah. It's Kento. Kento?! OMIGAWD, was he IN that collapsed building? AND White Blaze is WITH him? Are you SHITTING me?

Kento, thank heaven! But I can't talk…

"Kento?" Mia gasps. "Where's Ryo?"

Sage stands forward with this intense look on his face.

Kento pauses, glancing at everyone. "Sorry, I…" His voice wavers. I couldn't stop 'im."

Hold on…what? Who?!

"So what did he do?" Sage practically read my mind.

Without really giving an answer, Kento looks over his shoulder.

Sage and Mia look up.

The brain-ball is a blip in the sky.

Cye walks up next to the demon horse, looking up. "You're shitting me."

Took the words right out of my mouth…


	10. In The Sea Of The Sky

Chapter 10

In The Sea of the Sky

Space, the Final Frontier...these are the crazy-ass things Rowen goes on and on about when he's had too much sugar and caffeine (usually Japanese red-bull-type stuff), at 3 in the morning. Don't get me wrong, I love that about him. But now Rowen, who is slumbering in SPACE, is about to be BLOWN-UP by a demon-brain-ball that, it has been implied, is carrying Ryo.

So when do the good guys get a friggin' break, huh? As a good guy, I'd really like to know.

I just have to finish running and screaming first. Actually, when I say running, I mean I started off pretty good, long strides, nice distance, but...that ended quickly. And screaming? Weeell, it began with an invisible sort-of exhale-isn sound, but I actually have some semblance of my voice back now. Not...in a good way.

So what's REALLY happening is I'm waddling quickly, like a fat penguin, because my leg is cramped (and injured) and thanes coming out of my mouth sounds like a coughing police siren. I am also crying. I mean, who wants to know their best friend is about to get blown up? Yeah...I don't think so.

"Emma, lovey!" cue calls out. "You're breaking my heart - you look like a sotted penguin, and sound it, too!"

I stop hobbling and Cye just walks up, having not been all that far behind me. He wraps me in a warm hug, despite the armor, and just holds me.

"I know it, lovey. we've all had about all we can take." Cye pats his head. "And never mind Kento and Sage."

Laughing, no doubt. They started up when Kento said my hair looks like a boy's hair. Jerks. All I can do is cough and sob. At least I'm not bleeding anymore.

"That sounds better, yeah? A cough, but better." Cye kind of makes me think I give him a gentle push, and wish I could tell him to knock-off the too-close-to-the-edge-of-baby-talk. Instead I just limp away.

"If I say I think Rowen is in good hands, will you come back?" Cye walks after me.

I dunno, dude. Up ahead is the demon horse, sniffing the wall. I frown and clap my hands hard. The horse gives me this sideways look with its tongue sticking out, like, 'nooo, I wasn't REALLY gonna lick the wall-moss, but maybe a little'. I shake my head at the horse.

"Rowen is in GOOD hands, Emma. He's of Strata, he'll be all right, you'll see!" Cye's trying. Kudos for it.

I reach the demon horse. EVERYTHING hurts. Even my pain has pain.

The demon horse kneels down. SO much better than a wheelchair.

"Emma!" Sage shouts as he runs up. "Stop! Emma, stop!"

The demon horse turns to look at the approaching blonde teen boy.

"I'm sorry I laughed; would you just stop running away?" Sage grabs the reins at the bridle.

I yank the reins, but it hurts to move my shoulders that way.

"We screwed up!" Sage exclaims as I kind of steer the demon horse past him.

I give the reins a little tug; not moving my arms much, to get the demon horse to stop. Wait, I hope it conveys, I wanna hear this...

Cye joins him, but doesn't say anything.

The demon horse takes a couple steps to turn just-so, and give sage a 'well, go on' kind of wave of my hand.

"All of us Ronin Warriors. Cye, Kento, Rowen, Ryo, and I. WE screwed up and now two of our team may very well die. One is your friend - someone you've been looking for." Sage is making a decent case for himself.

"I don't expect you to see things MY way, I don't expect you to do ANYTHING any of us asks, I don't even WANT you to understand why we can't stop to mourn, but you will; ALL of it, because THAT'S how you'll survive."

He's right. I was planning to ride to wherever they're going next.

Cye looks tense all of a sudden. "Kent, Yuli, Mia!" He runs away.

"Emma, come on!" Sage runs after Cye.

I pat the demo horse's neck. We don't even have to go ludicrous speed to catch up, but...damn. Where'd THEY come from?

Bucket heads GALORE!

Demon horse just GOES for it...with me on his back. Kicking, flailing around like a bronco-rider made of rubber bands.

By the time the demon horse steps, we're separated from the pack. Oh...shit.

"You have the devil's luck, Emma." Gargles the voice of - wait - ROWEN?!

I turn my neck so fast, it goes 'CLICK'.

"Ahhhh...~" I groan and put a hand to my neck.

"And ya sound like a dying' frog." Rowen approaches, hands in the pockets of his jeans, like he just stepped out of that polaroid. "Ya know, you could work on that psychic projection' thing so I can't read yer mind."

I'm SO happy SOMEONE can hear me, I might cry again! Hallelujah - ding dong!

"Hear you? Why wouldn't everybody...wait, can't you talk?" Rowen walks up and touches my leg.

Heey, your hand didn't go through my leg! This is weeeird.

"A'course I touched yer leg, why wouldn't I?" Rowen helps me down, but his touch is...nothing. Like holding that tingling feeling you get when your foot falls asleep.

"Watch it." Rowen keeps me rolling my ankle on the ground.

I miss you. I pout, and touch his hair. Doesn't feel like hair.

"Yeah, i know, but no promises." Rowen is very flippant about being whatever-this-is. "Y'know Astral Projection, right?"

I shrug and nod. Yeah, sure.

"Same thing." Rowen gently examines my neck.

I nod. Makes sense, except that he can touch me.

"Y'know Poltergeists, right?" Rowen keeps examining. I can feel cool pressure on my neck.

Uh-huh, and?

"Same thing. Man, how'd you manage to NOT lose your head here, huh?" Rowen tisks.

Ask Dais. Or Mia.

Rowen frowns, his eyes shifting to mine. "Mia? Why her?"

She drove off without me, and then Cye did this astral-projection thing, but he couldn't touch me, so I stuck around to chat with him.

Rowen's considering this. He shifts his eyes and takes a eep breath. "Mia just...what? Left ya. And then?"

Dais. Flash-memories make both Rowen and I cringe.

Rowen hugs me - for the first time EVER - and I don't care if he feels like that tingly sensation when your foot falls asleep. This is Rowen, most of him anyway. So what if there's a big energy ball on its way to blow him up? He's here.

"There's a what?" Rowen pushes me to arms; length. "Where?"

In space. On its way to you - Ryo's on it, trying to save you.

Rowen blinks slowly. "No fuckin' way."

I nod. Yes fuckin' way.

Rowen stands up straighter. "Your neck'll be fine, and your voice."

I feel my neck. A bit of scar-tissue, but otherwise okay.

"Your voice - keep usin' it, keep trying' anyway." Rowen touches a lock of my hair, says, Looks cute." Then disappears.

An explosion above makes my heart stop...almost. It looks like an atom bomb went off in the sky - no fuckin' way.

I hear a clanging sound. It's far off, a bit, but distinct. What IS that? Where is it coming from?

It's making the demon horse nervous, too. HE grunts and noses me, as if saying, get on! Get on now!

I nod, the demon horse kneels, I get on, and he takes off.

What now? God almighty, why ludicrous speed NOW? Where is this big salute taking me? Crimity jeezus!

We slow down in another part of town - quieter, gray-er, and still dark.

"Buh-Why?" I look around.

"Good fortune favors you, child." Says the voice of The Ancient.

I turn. "You?"

"Yes, my child. You are safe now. Come, we have things to discuss."


	11. Assault On The Dynasty

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ronin Warriors. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

Assault On The Dynasty

Last time I saw this guy, I couldn't stand.

"Rowen of Strata used his projected consciousness to heal you, and yet you still struggle to speak, child." The Ancient holds up his staff. "By the power of light." The staff glows.

I feel SO much better. "What did you do? Ah! My voice, it's healed!" I giggle. I CAN giggle! "Oh thank you SO much. Not being able to talk was SO annoying!"

"There is no need for gratitude, child. Come, I have been waiting for you both." The Ancient turns.

I look at the demon horse. We both shrug.

The Ancient takes us to a fallen office building. when I step in, I feel as though a wam blanket is wrapped around me. "What's that cozy feeling?"

"I have warded this area - we are safe for the time being." The Ancient sits on the floor, setting his staff gently in front of him.

The demon horse grunts. He's stuck.

"Hang on, big-butt. I gotcha." I un-wedge my crossbow from the saddle, and help the demon horse wiggle through the way in.

"See? All those energy bars go straight to your big butt." I turn. The demon horse noses my back, making me jump.

"This is good. You work well together." Remarks The Ancient with some reverie.

"Well, I'm just lucky this guy likes energy bars." I sit down and open my back pack. "Of which I only have four left. Great. Need to find more food."

"And you will, but it is no accident you and this creature found one-another. Your spirits were drawn together and protect one-another." The Ancient kind of makes sense, I guess.

I look at the demon horse. It bats its eye. Oh! Food. I take out an energy bar. The Ancient keeps talking while I'm unwrapping it.

"Your spirit is strong, child; pure and of light. Those of light and purity will be drawn to you. In there lies what you need to help the Ronin Warriors. I have bestowed my ancient power unto you; use it well, brave child."

"I'm sorry, you gave me what?" I suddenly feel violated.

"Be not afraid. The energy I use to heal your wounds has been absorbed by your soul, child. You are stronger for it."

I buy that...I think. Maybe. I shake my head. "Uhh, great! Thanks - so - um, not that I'm not totally thrilled to see you, but, um - why now?"

"Your greatest test of courage and belief in the Ronin Warriors is upon you. Very soon, he who plagued you will threaten those you care for most. I will bestow a boon to aid your quest."

"No." I shake my head. "Thank you, but no. I already owe you so much, you don't have to help me out anymore. Really."

"You are proud, child, this I can see. It a tool for your survival; without it, I fear you may succumb to the dynasty's will." The Ancient seems to be sulking somewhat.

Okaaaay. That...sounds...BAD. "Succumb? Well...I guess if...all right. What's this boon?"

"You shall see soon enough, child." The Ancient nods.

A comfortable silence falls between us.

My mind wanders to Rowen. I sure miss him. It's hard to reconcile that I'm never going to see him again, and I'll always miss him. Ryo, too; I barely knew him but we seemed to click. I would've liked to hang out more. I wonder where Sage, Cye, and Kento are? The Ancient is right; I'm so proud, I've been running in circles while the people in this desolate world who are just trying to help are chasing after me AND trying to save the world.

"You think of the Ronin Warriors. They search for you as they near the gates of Talpa's Dynasty." Oh right, I forgot; The Ancient can read my soul, or something like that.

"Talpa?" I ask. "Who's that? Scary Guy said that once - I mean Dais. Dais said it."

The Ancient nods. "Talpa is the cruel lord of The Dynasty; the castle in the sky you have seen is his domain. The warlords are his like-minded generals."

I nod. "Yeah, I got that." I sigh, briefly think of my injuries then ask. "Why now? If Talpa is as powerful as I've seen, why now? Why not years ago?"

"One-thousand years ago, Talpa did try to take over the moral world. He was foiled by a great sorcerer, who banished him back to his dark realm. It has taken Talpa this long to build his forces and his strength again."

"Wow, a thousand years to heal? Man, I thought 9 months in a cast when I broke my ankle was bad. I've only been out of it for a few months. Rowen was around when I had it on; he was there when I broke it snowboarding, actually." I chuckle at the thought. "Man, he made fun of me something fierce, but he'd always help me out doing stuff. Push me in a wheelchair at the mall, bring me a snack on the couch, trip the girl at school who was bullying me and making real fun of me for being in a cast." I nod. "I'm really missing him right now."

"Be not afraid for you friend - Rowen of Strata lives."

I gasp. "WHAT? B-but I saw the explosion! N-not that I WANT him to be dead, but-! He's alive? For serious?"

The Ancient nods once.

"Rowen's alive! That means Ryo too, right?" I gleefully ask.

The Ancient nods again.

I jump up, chanting. "They're alive! They're alive!"

The demon horse trots around me, whinnying and kicking happily.

"Oh! By the way-ay?" I was gonna ask him where the guys went, but The Ancient is gone. "Wow. He disappears like Batman." I blink at the empty stop The Ancient had occupied only a few minutes before. "Oh well." I shrug. "Let's go, Buddo."

The demon horse and I head off into the city. The fog freaks me out as it rolls in.

"AAA! Soul-stealing fog!" I yank the reins and kick the demon horse with my heels. "Run, Buddo, move it!"

The demon horse stops, stomps one hoof HARD and turns its head to look at me with glaring eyes and growls.

I slump, release the reins, look down at my hands, twiddle my thumbs and shrug. "Sorry."

The demon horse rolls its eyes up and makes a nodding gesture toward the sky.

"Yeah, okay, let's go." I nod.

The demon horse walks on with a snort.

"Whaaat? I have a right to be afraid of that fog; it EATS people. I SAW it."

The demon horse shakes its head.

"Yeah-huh! Did so!" I stick my tongue out. Totally juvenile.

The demon horse pauses, flicking its ears about then turns its head up. He starts running toward a building and takes a flying leap UP.

"Super horrrrrse! Leaping TALL buildings!" We land on the roof. "In a SINGLE bound." I pump a a fist in the air.

The demon horse lifts a front leg, and strikes this 'ta-da!'-esque pose, and tosses his mane.

I look around. "Sooo, why THIS building?" I arch an eyebrow.

HUGE. DEMON. GATE.

I incline my head a bit, and say. "Ohhhh."

The demon horse does a little trot to the edge of the building. He nods toward the ground.

I dismount and crawl to the edge and sit. "AH! TECHNICOLOR ANTS!" I shout deliberately; as loud as I can.

Nothing. They can't hear me. We are TOO high up.

"Aww." I sulk. "Now lets's see..." I squint. "Orange...purple?...blue...green - oh! That's Sage!...and red." I count on my fingers. "Yup. That's five, but...which one's Rowen?" I lean forward then remember I'm on top of a VERY HIGH building. "Well, only one way to find out." "ROOOWEEEN!"

Nope.

I turn and frown at the demon horse. "You had to pick THIS skyscraper?"

The demon horse chuckles.

"Laugh it up. I don't have to give you - what, whaat?"

The demon horse nudges my head to look and groans in distress.

Down below (not that I can see much), I think Yuli is yelling about something. I can't quite hear. I squint. Red is the closest to the boy. Ryo...I think. I turn to the demon horse.

"What happened?" I gasp.

The demon horse walks up to me, and smacks his nose on my back.

"Ow! Hey, you jerk, what was THAT for?" The demon horse does it again. "Hey, stop hitting me!"

The demon horse nods.

"What?" I rub my shoulders. "Why did you hit me?" Not like I really expect him to answer. Then I think about my words as the demon horse nods again. "Why...did you...?...NO! Oh, he did NOT hit that poor child!"

The demon horse nods again.

I squint at the quadruped. "You're not enjoying this, are you?"

The demon horse snorts and shakes his head.

"Good horse." I then quickly shout over the edge of the building (whether anyone can hear or not). "BAD FORM!"

The demon horse nods in approval.

"Quit yelling. They can't hear you anyway."

I frown. "So? Yuli's just a kid; he doesn't deserve - ..." I turn to see Sage crouched near, his only visible blonde eyebrow raised. I squint. "How...? How long have you been sitting there?"

Sage looks thoughtful. "Well, I heard you yelling, so I came to see what your problem is."

"My problem?" I fold my arms. "My PROBLEM is I'm wandering a dark city of demons, trying to survive an apocalypse, no thanks to you leaving me behind - AGAIN. I'm just glad this time I wasn't beaten almost to death by a crazed maniac with an eye patch!" I point at my eye and stand up.

"Wait, you can talk?" Sage stands up.

I turn and give him my best - 'really...?' face.

"What?" Sage leans away a bit.

I roll my eyes. "Boys..." I shake my head.

"Hey, what's THAT supposed to mean?" Sage frowns.

I shake my head a bit more. "I could ALWAYS talk, I just had a bit of trouble there for a bit, and then I saw Rowen's ghost-thing, like I saw you, y'know?"

Sage nods. "Yeah, I remember the cave." He shrugs. "What's that got to do with your voice?"

"Rowen healed it. I dunno how, so don't ask. He just did." I hold up my hands in surrender.

Sage twitches one shoulder up. "I'm not concerned, I'm just glad he did."

Already, as a 15-year-old girl, I'm a bit taken aback when ANY guy compliments me, but the way Sage's eyes (eye, really, but I KNOW he has two of them) sort of glance down at the ground then back up at me, that swath of blonde hair getting in his way, so he looks right like he's looking at something but I know he's trying to flip his hair out of his face, makes little girl-ish parts of me slowly look up like they hadn't noticed he was male before and query what could be done about the three feet of distance between us. Translation: I have the inexplicable urge to KISS him.

"What?" Sage starts.

I shake my head without speaking, lest I say something REALLY inappropriate.

Sage arches an eyebrow again, higher, as could almost be sneering at me.

"Well if THAT'S the kind of face you're gonna make about it, I'm not gonna have these little chats with you anymore, which is a shame, because I really enjoy them." I step onto the ledge.

"So do I." Sage says.

There's that inexplicable urge again.

I frown. "Stop doing that."

Sage starts. "Doing what?"

"THAT!" I gesture to him.

"What? I'm not doing anything!" Sage folds his arms.

"Exactly!" I am SO lost - I don't even know what I'm talking about anymore.

Sage shakes his head with this sort-of calculated skepticism.

"SAAAGE!" Kento shouts. Now I know who to go to if I ever need someone to shout something REALLY loud (or to someone VERY high up).

Sage looks at me then jumps over the edge of the building.

"NOOOOoooo...oh...wait, yeah he's okay." I nod at the demon horse.

The demon horse nods back.

"Wait, hey!" I climb on the demon horse's back and he leaps off the building. We land a bit far off, but the demon horse quickly trots up to the group.

" - into heaven, and found a rogue demon-slaying angel." Sage turns as the demon horse and I approach.

Rowen turns. "Emma!" I've never seen THAT look before. "Holy shit!"

I climb down off the demon horse before it stops even, and hurry to hug my friend. "Rowen Rowen, Rowen!" I like the way he spins me around a few times. "It's you, it's you, it's really you!"

Rowen sets me back on my feet.

"Ehem - I hate to interrupt." Sage doesn't seem THAT upset to interrupt. "But we're moving on. I think Emma should stay here."

"Why you-!" I start to protest all over Sage's attitude, but Cye interrupts.

"Emma, would you mind? Mia and Yuli are somewhat - shall we say - powerless? You can hold your own against the dynasty soldiers. Do us a favor?" He winks. "We'll owe you."

"Watch Mia and Yuli? Like a babysitter? Fshh! I have my OWN problems; demon-ocalypse, remember? Besides, where are YOU guys going in such a hurry?"

I catch SAge turning, and looking up at the gate.

Again with the slight incline of my head. "Ohhhh."

"Emma." Rowen starts to say...then stops. With a sudden, awkward nod, he says. "You'll do great." And walks away again.

I shake my head, squinting at him.

"Lovey, I think what Rowen is trying to say is you're more than capable of handling yourself." Cye pats my shoulder. "We trust you."

I arch an eyebrow at him. "Because you have such a variety of proxies around here."

Cye looks annoyed, then thoughtful, and finally nods. "True."

Sage approaches. He stands close to me, but not too close, arms folded, and says. "If you don't go after Mia and Yuli, I'm not taking you to my house to see the tea room."

Totally. Deflated. "Bully." I frown.

Sage turns and walks away. "Let's go."

"Hey, don't worry about it. We'll get the dynasty and be back before breakfast." Rowen winks.

I really don't know about THAT, but at least he's alive. How can a girl say no? N-O, I suppose, but I trust Cye and Rowen, and maybe Sage. Kento needs work. Ryo just hit a child.

I nod.

Rowen gives me a thumbs-up.

Cye stands near as Rowen walks away. His face is ALL kinds of concerned. "Mia and Yuli will be fine, but...are you?"

I have no idea, but try to reply in a more positive way than that. "I think so." I sigh. "mMaybe." Shaking my head, I add. "We'll see. Just be careful."

Cye nods.

I look over and catch Sage's gaze. He has this weird look on his face - I really can't place it. I nod then look away as I walk back to the demon horse.

The demon horse makes this whimpery noise.

"I know, Buddo. Me neither, so let's go before we both change our minds." I climb on. "The sooner you go, the sooner you can get back here!" I shout.

A wave from Rowen and Cye. Sage isn't looking at me, but I know he's frowning. He was so nice in the cave, and now he's bossing me around all the time.

I can't, for the life of me, find Mia and Yul. Dammit. "Jiminy Christmas, where ARE they?"

The demon horse makes that weird growling noise, and turns so I'll see what he's looking at.

"Yeah...I don't think so." It's a GIANT FRIKKIN' SPIDER WEB.

The demon horse turns its head to look at me, ears a bit perked, and this look on its face, like, 'are we going?'

Frowning, and not at all enthusiastic about this impending operation, I reply. "Yee~up." I squint, thinking about what The Ancient said. 'he who plagues you will threaten those you love most.'

The Ancient's backwards way of talking is REALLY kinda getting on my nerves; especially when he's right. Which, as it happens, has been about EVERYTHNG.

"Plague." I sigh. "Dais the Plague."

The demon horse bobs its head up and down.

"Well." As I'll ever be... "Hi-ho BUDDO, Awa~aaay!"

No go. He just STANDS HERE.

I lean over a bit. "This is the part when you run ludicrous speed, and we save the day."

The demon horse tosses his head and makes an 'uh-uh' noise.

I gently pull the reins. Nothing. SNAP the reins. No-thing. "Ludicrous speed, GO!" I point. "Nnn-go!" I pump a fist. "GAAAAH-ooohhhh..." To be perfectly honest, I'm about five seconds away from just WALKING. "Pretty please, Buddo?"

Nope.

"A-kay." Dismounting, I walk up to his face, and stare into the uncooperative demon horse's dark eyes. "Okay, let's talk about this. What's the problem?" Don't really know what I expect to get out of this, but I'm trying to get it all the same.

The demon horse grunts, flattening his ears and shifts his eyes toward the web. Very blatantly staring in unhappiness.

Oh...I see... "It's Dais, isn't it?" I nod a bit. "Yeah, I know. But , none of that was your fault. Dais would've caught up to us sooner or later and we...well...I might not have been so lucky."

The demon horse whimpers.

"Yeah, I getcha. You did everything you could, and I'm all right now. Cye carried me down that hall, Rowen healed my voice, you gave me a lift...it takes a village. And right now, we have to go help the village."

The demon horse looks down at the ground and let out a long sigh.

I know, I was asked (TOLD) to go find What's-Her-Bitch, and Yuli, but I seriously doubt that if the Ronin Warriors die by spider bite, that those two will save the world.

The demon horse looks up and nods.

"Great!" Next thing, we're jumping across rooftops, until we get back to that huge-ass gate.

"What are the keeping in there, Dinobots?" It resembles a shinto arch, but has big, black and red double-doors closed to the world around it. The demo horse and I are on top of a skyscraper, and that gate STILLL tower over us. "Do we knock?"

The demon horse shakes his head, and leaps to the next rooftop.

Then, out of nowhere, this HUGE BLADE of LIGHT slices the sky (not literally) but TOTALLY cleaves the castle - THE CASTLE - almost. The gate busts up, the sky flashes bright, but when it's all over, the spider web is still there. Of course, the DEMON SPIDER WEB survived that.

"Oh sure, Scary-Dude-Dais has invincible webbing..." I shake my head.

The demon horse continues on until we reach a rooftop where the web connects pretty much straight on. I lean over the edge. There are creepy cocoons toward the middle of the web, about 100 feet or so below me.

"Well, just like the balance beam at school. You stay here, Buddo." I sat to the demon horse.

This is new. He sits, like a dog, raises a hoof, and does this flicking motion, like, 'be my guest.'

"Quitter." I frown. No tie to think about it. I double-check I have my knife form Kyoto (some weird, antique-y katana looking thing) then hold my breath as I balance -walk out as fast as I can. I get to a junction; it angles DOWN. Of course it does. I stand holding a vertical bit of web before I take a deep breath, and swing around so my feet are on the slanted bit. Now I just have to let go. It's a strange rush. I keep my center of gravity low, and slide down like grinding on a curb in roller blades. Another horizontal bit comes up, I catch myself, and start the slide down again. I have to do this three times. It is SO nerve-racking. As I get closer, I can hear someone shouting.

"RYO! Gemme DOWN, man! I am NOT likin' this height!" Ah. Kento.

"Cool it, Kento,and enjoy the view." Typical, fearless, Rowen. I'm one to talk. I was on the roof of a tall building not too long ago.

"A nice view. A NICE VIEW? We're tuck in a SPIDER web, the size of TOKYO TOWER, and you think it's a NICE VIEW?" Kento wriggles.

"Chill out, Kento. Ryo will be back." Sage is so cool about it, but I can hear the waver in his voice that he's totally freakin'.

"Or Emma will." Cye says.

I look down. No, he's not looking at me. Maybe wishful thinking?

"Not if she wants to see the tea room, she won't." Sage says.

"What's up with that?" Rowen asks.

"Yeah, I heard it, too. When did you promise her something about a tea room?" Cye asks.

"My place doesn't have one. She was bummed." Rowen says.

True, Rowen, but I didn't hold it against him.

"Forget it. She won't come." Sage sounds kind of sulky now.

"Aww, you care." I swing down, holding the web strand like a sloth.

"AAAAA! Web monkey!" Kento shouts.

"Ke~nto~" Cye sings out. "It's Emma, come to save you."

I use my knife to cut out the closest person - Sage. "Careful getting out."

"Thanks." Sage looks me over.. "What about Mia and Yuli?"

I shrug. "I dunno, I just got this feeling those two are okay, y'know? They got THIS far."

"Hey! Hey, pretty girl!" Kento shouts. "Gemme outta heeeere!"

"Comin' down, watch your heads." I slide down one more strand and then a second. "Need a hand?"

"Right here!" Kento wriggles his arms.

Rowen watches me, not saying anything.

"Okay, your arms are free. Gimme a sec, and I'll -." Before I can finish, Kento yanks both his feet free, and slips. He catches himself, though. I slide down to where he's hanging. "Be. Careful."

Kento nods emphatically.

I climb back up to Rowen. "See what happens when I let you outta my sight?" It was a joke.

Rowen turns his head away then shakes it just once or twice. "No." He pulls free as I'm slicing. "Thanks."

I move left to Cye. "Did I miss something?"

Cye watches Rowen climb down. "To tell the truth." He pulls an arm free. "I think Rowen's jealous."

I frown.

"Hear me out. Sage is smitten with you." Cye frees his second arm then works on his legs.

"Does not!" I shout.

"Hey you guys! Let's move it!" Kento shouts up.

I'm still blushing. "Can we talk about this later?"

Cye nods. "Sure." We start down. "He reeeally likes you. Sage, that is."

"Later means LATER, not NOW." This is bothering me. I'm really not sure WHY it's bothering me, but it's bothering me. Sage doesn't LIKE me...I just know.

Straight slide to the bottom. Ow.

The demon horse trots over.

"Oh hey, what's up? Or down." Ryo helps me up.

Cye sidles up. "If you don't believe me, ask him."

"Wha-! No! I'm not just gonna ASK him something like that." I turn and take the demon horse's reins.

Ryo looks perplexed. "Me?"

Cye looks thoughtful. "You?"

I growl at them both. "No." As soon as I say it - before even - this chilling sensation comes over me, and I turn to see Mia's hateful gaze stabbing me. "Yeesh." I mumble. "Calm down, lady." I turn my gaze away and see Yuli with White Blaze. That reminds me...

"YOU!" I turn to Ryo.

Ryo might've actually backed up a step.

"YOU hit a CHILD! Yuli, even; he's done NOTHING but try to help you. If you get frustrated, don't just swing out and HIT him! You should be ashamed of yourself, you little shit!" I'm waving my arms in a be-afriad-of-my-rage-or-else kind of way.

Ryo sighs and nods. "Yeah, about that..." He walks over to Yuli, and in a genuinely remorseul tone, says. "Yuli, i'm sorry for what I did earlier."

Before Ryo can really finish his sentence, Yuli grins. "I know." What a trooper. "I could tell you didn't MEAN it. You were just really tense."

I would adopt this kid - I totally would.

Ryo smiles.

Mia smiles at Ryo in THAT way, glancing at me and it fades a bit.

I give her a 'what are YOU looking at?' look right back.

"Don't bother." Sage says.

I turn to him. "Why not?"

Dare I say it? I dare. Sage is very handsome. I really don't fancy falling in love with someone I'm probably never going to see again. All Cye had to say, though, was that he thinks Sage 'reeeally' likes me, and my brain is hooked; like a song playing over and over in your head, and it won't stop, but you don't mind. Sage gives me orders, but he's just looking out for me. That should've been my FIRST clue. Some detective I am.

"Because holding onto anger is like drinking poison, and expecting to kill the other person." Sage says. I almost missed it.

"Driving away and not making sure the other person is safe is a good way to kill the other person." I mean it, too. I'm so MAD at her, and she's giving me MEAN eyes because she's in love with Ryo and thinks I'm flirting with him.

"So," I turn and kind of shrug a bit. "Guess you guys found Dais." I say in an obvious, sing-song tone.

"Ya think?" Ryo snorts. "He locked up our armors' power with a bunch of flying demon spirits."

Not-quite-speechless, I say. "You're shitting me."

"But Mia and Yuli came along with that staff." Cye looks at me. "Some kind of cleansing, don't you think? Getting rid of all the bad karma in the air."

Cye's talking me down. I'm trying, but Mia's basically responsible for getting me almost-killed.

"Good thing you two came to help us out. You really saved the day." Kento thinks the rest of us are really talking about what happened to them JUST NOW.

Mia has to stop giving me wicked-witch eyes to look at the staff. "Well, it wasn't US really. It was this staff."

Rowen is holding his chin. He's being dramatic. "So what you're saying is we should be all right now." He looks at me.

I look away.

"Then that must mean someone is on OUR side." Sage is standing pretty much over me, staring down at me. Damn him being taller than me. "Besides strawberry-haired angels." He says quietly for me to hear.

Blush-a-bit. Is he -? Did he just...flirt?

I give him a sideways glance up.

The left side of Sage's mouth tips up a bit.

"Must be." I shrug. I've always been the one pining unrequitedly for someone. I never thought someone would actually NOTICE me...well, Cye DID flirt the first time we might, even if he was some kind of astral-projected-consciousness.

With a really intense voice, Ryo says. "Yeah, that's right, and it's time to find out who." Pshh, drama.

"He's The Ancient." I shrug. "The guy who saved me."

I really hate it when people all turn and stare at me like I've got mushrooms growing out of my face.


	12. Shallow Darkness

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ronin Warriors. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

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><p>Chapter 12<p>

Shallow Darkness

I give them the only version of how I know this "ancient", which is fairly short anyway.

"And that's how you got to the temple." Ryo says somewhat sulkily.

"Yup." I nod, walking the demon horse.

"And were healed?" Sage asks.

"You got it." I look at the blonde teen.

"And he fixed your voice, too?" Kento grins. "Pretty girls gotta have a pretty voice."

"That too!" I chuckle.

"So, do you know where to find him?" Cye asks.

"No." I slump. Ah well, the 'yes' had to come to an end sometime – all goo things, y'know? "Sorry. Both times, he found me." I step over a lamp post.

"So why give ME the staff? Why not just give it to you, since he seems so fond of you."

Did she just…? Forget it. I get the feeling I'm just going to be living under Mia-passive-agressiveness for the rest of this weird apocalypse.

"Actually, he wanted to bestow a boon on me, but I insisted he'd done so much for me that I'll be fine. Looks like he decided to help YOU out finally, you're welcome; if I see him I'll be sure to tell him how grateful you are." she just URKS me. "And despite everything, I think i'm doing pretty well; getting beat-up wasn't MY fault, and I haven't had all of THEM." I gesture around.

Cye pinches the bridge of his nose, arms folded. Kento turns and looks behind him at nothing. Ryo side-steps. Rowen arches an eyebrow, glancing from me to Mia. Sage sighs, rolls his eyes, and shakes his head a bit.

"All I have is a demon horse and a crossbow that weighs a TON, thank you very much, and I'm still doing just fine!" A bit pontificating, but I haven't really had THAT much help, for her information.

With this really annoyed, arrogant-sort-of sneer makes even Yuli look at Mia with this 'did just do that?' face. "That's all well and good, but I did it with a jeep and a 9-year-old."

You hear that? I think the crickets came out of hiding.

I shake my head slowly. "In another context, that would be..."

"Wrong." Sage says. "In every context."

Mia gasps. "No! That wasn't right! That's not what I meant!"

"Uhhh...?" Kento's mouth is hanging kind-of open. Cye bumps it shut with his hand.

Rowen glances at me then Mia then at me. I shrug.

"It's forgotten." Sage turns, pinching the bridge of his nose again.

I nod. "Any...waaaay...didn't want a boon." I shrug. "Saved me already." I turn to walk over to the demon horse.

"And we should really THANK him." Mia sneers. ACTUALLY sneers. Can I NOT get a break with this woman?

"He's super humble about it, and told me not to thank him." This is me trying to change the subject.

"Becuase isn't it NOONE's fault but Dais?" Mia's tone...yeeah, I don't think so.

Cye makes a last ditch effort to change the subject. "Have any of you seen Shinjuku THIS empty? Ha! It boggles the mind!"

"Dude." Ryo pats Cye's shoulder and shakes his head. "Way too late."

I hate harping on a subject. I mean, really, I'm not one to hold onto things or grudge-match with someone. Plus, Sage had a point earlier - it's not worth it ; the energy, that is...just ONE more dig.

"Sure Mia." I nod. "It wasn't your fault." I shrug. "And hey, I believe everything happens for a reason. So, if and when you figure out what the reason for me getting beat-within-an-inch-of-my-life is, you let me know, okay Mia?" I walk away, leading Buddo by the reins. Someone yells after me, but I ignore them. They know I'm right. I won't be mad anymore - I've spoken my peace, and hopefully given Mia some food for thought.

The demon horse stops, but I keep walking until the reins are almost taught between us. Slowly I turn back to look at the spirit horse. His ears are flicking around, and he starts grunting in reaction to something.

I sigh. "What is it?"

Suddenly we hear footsteps coming toward us. LOTS of footsteps, like an army.

"We...should, um...this way." I pull the reins as I turn to head down the nearest alleyway. There's this weird moaning sound, one I kind of recognize. Despite where I've heard it, I'm not sticking around.

Screaming does WONDERS when scary things are around. "Remember I said I don't scream because it accomplishes nothing?"

The demon nods its head.

"I said it. I take it back. RUUUUH-HUH-HUH-HUUUUUN!"

That siren that just went by a building, followed by the huge demon horse making a similar noise? Yeah, that was me.

"THERE'S A MILLION OF THEM! RUUUUUN!" This is my life now, I guess; save a life, have a lull, get in trouble, run like hell. It's a thankless existence so far.

I don't feel like stopping to take on a HORDE, so run is pretty much all I can do right now. The demon horse - genius over here - stops and whinnies.

"What? Hey CRAZY-HORSE keep running!" I only take a few steps before turning to make sure the demon horse is following.

Buddo pricks his hears up, like, 'oh shit! Do you hear that?'.

Whether or not that's really what the demon horse is saying, I try to be quiet despite breathing hard.

Glass breaking - no - SHATTERING. I had no idea any windows survived that first onslaught when lightning was striking the building - y'know, back when the apocalypse was just starting.

"Somebody's windows?" It's getting louder; whatever's going on.

Yelling...growling?...shouting! Battle - the Ronin Warriors are close by!

" - yuli, Mia, run for it~!"

"Was that Ryo?" I gasp.

The demon horse stomps its feet and whinnies.

"Come on!" I run toward the noise.

The noise is all freaky out here! I can't figure out where it's all coming from anymore. I can hear...cars?

I pause. "Do you hear cars?"

The demon horse turns to an entrance to an underground parking area.

"I was underground once this week - No, no, wait!" Of course I'm going to run after the demon horse. He's all I've got right now.

"Buddo!" I call down to the pitch black parking garage.

A neigh.

"Come OUT! Seriously!" I'm NOT getting stuck in the dark again.

"Maybe he's just tired of you." Sage says behind me. Yeah, he startled me, but I'm just glad he's not one of those bucket-head-soldiers.

I DO jump away and trip down the entrance to ramp. "Fuck, fuck, ow..." Yeah, fell on my ass, and looked STUPID in front of a guy. I just sit for a second and wait for the humiliation to ebb a bit.

Sage walks up behind me and crouches down. "Is this gonna be some kind of pattern with us?" From this angle, I can see under his bangs combed over his face, and the look he's giving me is...well...it's SAGE.

"Us?" I straighten up a bit, but still sitting on the pavement like a dope. I have to twist a bit to look at him. I turn to glance into the dark, but still can't see Buddo. Looking back at Sage, I squint at his stupid face raising his eyebrows at me. "What's that supposed to mean, a pattern? What pattern?"

"Whenever I find you in the dark, you scream at me." Sage says.

Oh...THAT. I fold my arms. "Don't sneak up on me, and I won't scream."

Sage shrugs and scratches the back of his neck. "Whatever." He takes a short, deep breath and looks away but, doesn't get up.

We both turn to see the demon horse clopping up, ears perked.

"Satisfied? Yes? Let's go. Like it's not dark enough out THERE." I point up at the entrance. "I'm not staying down HERE."

The demon horse turns and trots back into the darkness; I swear that horse just chuckled.

"Guhhg." I'm so NOT in the mood for this.

Sage stands up and holds out his hand. "Come on. I'll help you."

I look away. "Not going."

Sage shrugs. "Suit yourself. Sit here by yourself." He turns, walking backwards, and with this quizzical sort-of look, says. "Is it getting darker, you think?"

No, it's NOT...isn't it? I turn and look up at the overcast, dark, sky. "No - WAIT! Sage!" I leap up and run after him. I'm not keen on being alone ANYWHERE in this city, and I'm sort of morbidly curious what's caught the demon horse's fancy so strongly.

"Let's just get Buddo and go. I am NOT keen on staying down here."

Sage's arm loops around mine. "Well...it's not a cave."

I snort. "No, worse. It's a parking garage. Under buildings. Next worst thing."

I guess it could be worse; I could be alone. Still, being lead through the dark by Sage is NOT my idea of a romantic date in Shinjuku.

"It IS getting darker. No, let's go back." I stop. Sage's arm slides down my arm, and he grabs my hand to keep from leaving, no doubt. I'm shaking my head, but can barely make out the shape of Sage standing near me. "I don't wanna be down here."

The clop-clop of the demon horse's hooves approach.

"Buddo!?" My voice comes out shrill and scared.

"Shh! Hear that?" Sage is right next to me, his hand still holding mine.

"Yeah, it's Buddo." I nod, my heart beating hard and fast. I want OUT of the darkness. A weird sputtering noise echoes suddenly.

"What the-? Did you just-?" Sage coughs.

"WHAT? Excuse me, NO!" I shout. "I'm a girl! I have girly farts! It was the HORSE!"

Okay, I KNOW this time the demon horse was DEFINITELY chuckling.

"Guuuuugh! I need AIR!" I turn and head for the entrance that I can still see from here.

"No wait!" Sage grabs my arm. "Not that way, it's too dangerous!"

"No it's not, it's-AH!" Okay, so the bucketheads starting to come down the ramp are probably an indication that Sage is right.

"Go, I got this!" Sage pushes my by the hand.

"No, I'm not leaving you - I can fight too!" I squeeze his hand so he can't let go. "You don't have to do this alone."

"Go!" Sage stands close for a minute then pushes me away by the hand, letting go.

Oh fine. "Don't you dare DIE, you JERK!" I get on Buddo.. "I'm maaad at youuu tooo!" I shout as the demon horse runs ludicrous speed.

We come to a dead end, of course - I mean, it's a frikkin' parking garage. I totally CALLED this earlier.

"Maaaan." I sigh. "Now what?"

Buddo looks left then trots over - broken doors leading into a shopping mall.

Riding a horse through a shopping mall ROCKS. Buddo stops to nose some ugly jackets, and chews on a mannequin's wig then keeps moving.

"You're such a horse." I shake my head at the demon horse as we get walking again.

It's nice that we're not being attacked, but y'know that feeling that you're ABOUT to be attacked? Yeah...

There's a sign for the subway, but I am NOT getting stuck underground again! Nope, not doing it. No way.

Buddo has other plans. The demon horse heads for the sign, and leaps down the stairs. If I hadn't leaned back, that last sign would've taken my head off.

Up another flight of stairs he goes, and another sign almost takes my head off.

"Hey! Watch the signs, ya big, dumb...- oh." We're out. As in, OUT out - out of the mall, out of the station, and...well...bucketheads. LOTS of bucketheads.

"Is this YOUR subway exit? Heh." I don't have to say a word more; Buddo just starts backing up slowly toward the staircase.

I'm not complaining, but they're not moving. Not advancing, not making a sound.

Then next to us, a GRATING opens, and Sage climbs out.

I give a deft little wave. "Hey."

Sage sees the soldiers and freezes.

Mia then Yuli climb out of the grating. Yuli runs around Sage, grinning. "We maaade iiit - WOAH!"

"Yuli, get back!" Sage snaps. "Emma, stay behind me!"

"Yeah..." I lift my crossbow. "I don't think so."

Sage lifts his arms, and glows a bright, white light. "ARMOR OF HALO! TAO CHI!" The light fades, and he's in armor.

There's no time for words, or anything that may have once resembled words. Buddo lunges into action, Sage lunges into action, and I do what I can, which turns out to be alot.

I frown. "Anyone else think they didn't put up much of a fight?" I look at Sage. "And by anyone, I mean you."

Sage looks around. "I dunno, and I don't wanna stick around and find out."

"Great, Sage!" Mia shouts.

"You got 'em, Sage!" Yuli chimes in.

Buddo grunts.

"Just let it go." I sigh.

"Let's find the others, before anything ELSE happens!" Sage calls over to them.

Thunder rumbles a bit overhead.

I turn to look up. "You were saying?"

"Huh?" Sage looks up where I'm looking. "Too late." Sage groans.

Lightning strikes a really TALL building near where we're all standing.

"Emma!" Sage calls.

"Get them!" I'm already running.

"Look out! Run!" Sage urges Mia and Yuli. "RUN!"

Buddo and I head after Sage, but the building is just falling too fast. Ever been buried alive?


	13. Fate Of The Ronin Armor

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ronin Warriors. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

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><p>Chapter 13<p>

Fate Of The Ronin Armor

"Emma!" It's...Rosali?! OH god, My step-mom, but how? WHY?! "EMMA!" She's so PISSED! Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! A wet sponge full of warm bleach water squishes in my ear.

"AA!" I frantically swipe a finger in my ear to get it out. "Shit, shit, shit! Are you fucking CRAZY?" I scream at her. I really shouldn't have screamed at her.

"Don't you yell at me, you lazy little leech! I told you to clean the toilets today!" Rosali's voice actually raises an octave, I think, as she raises the bucket of water and brings it down, bleach water dumping over my head in slow motion.

I'm awake now, on the ground, screaming and flailing.

"Woah, woah, Emma!" Sage is holding my arms to keep me from hitting him.

It takes my brain half a second to realize where I am. Far away from Rosali, from bleach water. I'm in the city, it's dark, Sage is here. I gasp. "Sage!" I'm calm - totally calm. I look around and then at him. He has concrete dust all over him, and his hair is plastered to his forehead and neck with sweat. "Why are you all dirty?"

Sage lowers his arms, hands sliding from my forearms to my hands. With a solid look, he says. "Try...to remember."

Then it occurs to me. "The building." I turn and look behind us. Sure enough, there it is - crumpled, crashed, dilapidated...fallen. I look back at Sage. "I had a building fall on me.

Sage squints. "Actually, you had a demon horse fall on you, and a building fell on him."

"Buddo! Omigawd, is he-?" I look around.

The demon horse is sitting in that dog-way, and looks over its shoulder at me, stares for a second then sneezes.

"Gazundheit." I mumble then turn back to Sage. "You dug us out?"

Sage stands up. "What was I supposed to do, leave you?" He holds out a hand for me. "I didn't before."

I try to stand up on my own, but my knee REALLY doesn't like that. "AA!" Down I go again.

Sage sighs, and moves his hand closer. "Take it easy. You're lucky to be alive - we all are."

I take his hand, and Sage pulls me up, keeping hold until I get my balance. "I have that first aid kit." I say, and look down at my clothes. "Oh no." I groan. There are more tears in my clothes than my grunge jeans.

Sage just glances to where Mia and Yuli have my backpack and are eating. That's fine; they're probably starved. He turns back to me, and looks like he's going to say something, but pauses. The guy looks absolutely exhasuted, I mean, why wouldn't he? He's pretty much been fighting non-stop since he woke up in that cave.

Got in trouble, ran like hell, save a life (Sage saved me, so that counts), lull...sounds good.

I look around. "This area looks kinda familiar." I walk over to the street sign. "Yeah, the hostel should be around here somewhere."

"Hostel?" Sage starts.

"Yeah, the youth hostel. My suitcase is there, and the showers aren't connected to electricity, so - knock on wood - they should be working. And I dunno about you, but I'm grimy and dirty, and need a shower." I turn to the blonde guy.

Sage takes a breath, kind of frowning then shakes his head. "For once." He sighs. "You get no argument from me."

We gather our troupe: Mia, Yuli, White Blaze, Buddo, Sage, and Me. We walk around a bit, I recognize a few buildings, and then lo and behold, there it is.

"Okay Buddo, the whole way up is all these really narrow staircase, which means your big-butt, and White Blaze should stay down here. Here." I dump all five of the remaining energy bars. "Go nuts."

"You're talking to a horse, you know." Sage arches an eyebrow at me.

I take my lantern out of the backpack and light it up. "At least he doesn't tell me what to do." I only smirk as I walk past Sage. "My room was on the third floor." We head up the stairs.

"That was alotta stairs." Yuli sits down when he reaches the top.

"The blue doors are bathrooms. Mia, wanna check and see if we have running water?" I ask.

"Do I ever." Mia gets Yuli up and heads down the hall.

I head into my room. It looks the same - two bunk beds, and luggage from my roommates and myself. It's a melancholy scene, despite my not liking those girls very much, I wouldn't want them to die-by-demons or anything.

Down the hall, water runs, and Mia cheers. "YES!"

I lean out, and Sage is still standing in the hall. "The miracle will be if we have hot running water."

Sage doesn't say anything.

I give him a once over. "Hey."

Sage turns, like he just noticed me.

"You in there somewhere?" I ask.

Sage nods. "Yeah. Just on edge, y'know? We're still in the dynasty's territory."

"Well maybe. But seriously, you should get cleaned up - you've been wearing that armor how long?" I turn back to the room, and drag my big, pink suitcase onto the bed. The combination opens easily enough, and I've never been SO happy to see clean clothes and such. These clothes i'm wearing were functional enough, but now they're torn practically to ribbons. When I look up to offer Sage a towel, I hear the nearest shower turn on. KNEW he couldn't resist.

I take the lantern and get cleaned up in one of the bathrooms across the hall. And yes, miracles happen; in the form of hot water.

"Emma?" Sage calls.

"Sage?" I call back. "I'm in the shower." Like that's supposed to deter him? Yes.

Sage's voice is closer now. "I saw the lantern; are you alright?"

"I'm fine." I sigh. "Can you hand me my beach towel? It has whales on it."

The towel pushes against the shower curtain. "Here."

"Thanks." I reach around, take it, and wrap myself in it. "There's hot water. Did you get cleaned up?"

"I'm fine." Sage says.

With the beach towel wrapped tightly around me, I open the curtain. "But you're filthy and sweaty, just from digging me out of that rubble. The shower is already here, and there's still running water." I shrug. "Might be nice to get out of that armor for a while?"

Wait...did that come out-?...Yup. Yup, it came out like THAT. "Except I didn't mean it like THAT, and I'm gonna just leave, and you can make your own decisions, and...yeah." Walking across the hall, I realize I'm in the dark and forgot my lantern, and turn back only to see Sage holding the lantern.

"Oh." I take the lantern. "Um, you don't have to. I mean, hold it. I'm in a towel, and I'm still standing here, so I'm just gonna go change and be done with it."

"Emma." Sage says.

I pause again. WHY am I still in the hallway, in a towel, talking to Sage? Talking to a BOY, in a TOWEL, in the DARK. Sage doesn't say anything, just goes in the bathroom and closes the door behind him. The water turns on, and I sigh. "Great. Now he thinks I'm a pervert."

Mia's in the room, standing by my suitcase, holding a small picture frame in her hand. She looks up with this embarrassed look. "Sorry, I shouldn't have been snooping." Her hair is wet. "I was looking for a hairbrush."

"That's okay." I say, and pick my purple hairbrush up from the inner pocket. "Here. I'll trade ya - hair brush for my mom?"

"Your mom?" Mia looks at the picture. I know what it is; WHO it is. It's a polaroid of my mom, standing by a huge fir tree trunk, hands resting on her pregnant belly, and wearing a blue sun dress and hat. She's smiling, it was sunny; the picture's a bit faded, but I've taken good care of it otherwise.

"Yeah, she died in childbirth. My polaroid camera was hers. My step-mom tried to make my step-dad throw out all the pictures of her. He gave me a while box full of film and pictures. I keep it at a friend's house, away from my step-mom." I dunno why I'm telling her this; last we talked, I was mad at her. "And even more interesting - at least according to my step-dad - my birth father took that picture when they first moved into the house I grew up in." I shrug. "He says, anyway."

"You don't believe him?" Mia asks.

I shrug again. "I dunno what to believe. My step-mom is such a control freak, I'm basically Cinderella around the house, and she has my step-dad treating me that way, too." I shake my head. "It's stupid, but I think I'm used to it. It doesn't matter."

Mia sets the picture down. "You look like her." She accepts the brush. "Really, and I'm sorry about Dais - that terrible things happened to you. I know you're angry, and you have a right to be, and I understand, but I AM sorry."

I sigh. "Just between us girls?"

Mia nods.

"I'm not trying to be a hero, or get all the attention; I just hate being alone. I saw the look you gave Ryo - on the cliff near Mt. Fuji WAAAAY back before you brought everyone together."

Mia blushes.

"I'm not gonna tell. I have my own drama with Stupid-Face." I shrug. "I'm just trying to survive. And I really wanna get dressed, so...?"

"Oh! Right, sorry." Mia chuckles and moves past me to the door. "Oh, and Emma?" she turns, hand on the knob. "Thanks."

I nod. "Sure." I get dressed after Mia's gone, pack clean underwear and a couple shirts and a bra in my messenger bag with mom's picture, lock up my suitcase (like anyone's around to steal from me) and open the door.

Sage is in the hall, hair damp, wearing his subarmor, and looks like he was talking to Mia, who's standing with Yuli.

Mia hands me my brush and I just stuff it in my messenger bag. "You look fresh." she smiles.

I nod. "I feel like myself a bit." Purple and green plaid pants, knee-high black lace-up boots that are my FAVE-OR-IT, a nice long-sleeved purple thermal under my black corset, my knit hat with cat ears on top and a face at the brim, my own hoodie, and a lace and brocade dark blue goth coat.

Sage is staring. That's just a bonus.

"So, um, this is how I usually look. None of that stuff I was wearing before is really me." I walk past them. "There's a convenience store just a couple buildings away - I promised Buddo more energy bars."

"So you're going to steal them?" Mia asks.

"I'm surviving, remember?" I say, walking down the stairs and not looking at the people following after me. "I'm not particularly proud of it, but I'm not going to starve just because no one is around to take my money."

Mia makes this non-commital noise then says. "Fair point."

Outside, Buddo the demon-food-stealer's muzzle is halfway down the backpack and crunching.

"You better not be eating the bolts." I say as I walk up.

The demon horse pulls his face out, snorts, and perks his ears at me.

"Let's go get more food." I take the backpack from Buddo's reach, and hang it and my messenger bag from the saddle. I turn to walk down the sidewalk, Sage right behind me - I know it's him because his subarmor has this really distinct sound when he's walking. Not really metal, or -CLUNK CLUNK- but, like, work boots. A bit heavy for a step, but alright.

Inside the store, I pause for a just a second then head down an aisle.

"I haven't been in a convenience store in a while." Sage says, examining a bar of chocolate.

"Well if I thought we could away with it, I'd go to a ramen shop, but this'll have to do." I say as I find the energy bars all displayed in the back. "Granola bars!" I call out, holding up a box of them for Buddo to see. The demon horse is standing in the broken entrance of the convenience store. "Honey - something." I examine a box with similar text and read it. "Berry. Okie dokie." I carry both back to the demon horse and take down the back pack. "Sound good?" I glance sideways at the demon horse as I stuff the boxes in the backpack.

Buddo bobs his head up and down emphatically.

Taking the backpack with me, I look for water. There's a smashed refrigerator (dark, of course) with bottled water, coffee, tea, juice, and an array of other things.

"Beans-x-Beans." I read the label. Coffee; yes. I pack two big bottles of water and a few of the little bottles of coffee.

My stomach growls. Maaan~...Shrimp crackers, dried squid (yes, itty bitty WHOLE ones), bonito flakes. I would give my boots for some beef jerky.

The demon horse is nosing around an oven case.

"What's up, Buddo?" I walk over.

MEAT BUNS!

I open the case. They're cold, but soft. I rip one open to check for maggots or mold. Doesn't look it - hell, they're probably so full of MSG they'd - heh - survive the apocalypse.

"Cockroaches, twinkies, and meat buns at the end of the world." I bite into it. Awesome.

"Sounds about right." Sage says.

"Want one?" There's FIVE in here.

Sage shakes his head. "No, help yourself." He's holds a bag of cookies and an energy drink under one arm.

"Rowen kind of got me hooked." I sulk a bit. "I hope he's okay."

"He is." Sage says. "I would know if something happened to the others."

I look up, licking my fingers and frown.

"The Ronin Warriors." Sage says. "we know when something is wrong with each other."

I swallow. "Woah. So, if say, Rowen were dead?"

Sage nods. "I would know. I can't tell you what it would feel like, but I would know it."

I think on that for a second then ask. "This knowing-thing. Is just if they're dead, or do you know when someone needs help, like, in a battle?"

Sage nods. "Yeah. That's why I was at that parking garage. Cye, Ryo, and Kento were there - they found Mia and Yuli."

I start. "I didn't see them."

"They were below us." Sage says. "I had to go."

I sigh. "No matter." I walk around the counter and slip the backpack back on the saddle. "Can you tell if anyone is close by now?"

Sage looks thoughtful. "I was just thinking about that. Maybe Cye, but then again, maybe Ryo."

"Maybe they're together?" I shrug. "That would be nice; find Ryo and Cye."

Sage nods. "Yeah, so let's get Mia and Yuli and see if we can find them."

I lead Buddo out as I follow Sage.

Mia and Yuli are standing on the sidewalk outside the convenience store.

"Did you find food?" Mia asks.

I shrug. "Define food."

"Cookies!" Yuli gasps.

"Here. Knock yourself out." Sage tosses the bag to Yuli.

"I found meat buns and granola bars. Oh, and water and coffee." I open the bag and offer Mia one of the small to-go boxes.

"Oh, thank you." Mia takes it and bites in.

"coffee?" I ask.

Mia nods, mouth full of meat bun. I hand her one of the small bottles.

We have a little picnic on the sidewalk. White Blaze and Buddo eat granola bars and drink some of the water out of a bucket (the convenience store had buckets, yes).

After we've all eaten, Yuli rides on Buddo with me, and we head out walking to...wherever.

"What's that?" I ask, the demon horse pausing to look.

"What?" Sage asks.

"That - over there. It looks like the top of a ferris wheel." I tilt my head.

"It IS the top of the ferris wheel." Mia says.

"Hey!" Yuli beams. "I know that place! Can we go there?" He asks. "Please? I just wanna look!"

I shrug and look at Mia and Sage. "What do you think?"

"Might as well." Sage says.

Mia nods. "Sure."

Well, at least it's not a cave...or a parking garage...still dark, though.


End file.
